State Pushes Grassroots Clubs Pool Players

Pool and dart players across the country have been urged to form structured clubs at the grassroots level to unlock government support and protection, as the State moves to formalise the sport and curb harassment of players.

Sports Principal Secretary Elijah Mwangi emphasized that pool is a fully recognized sport under the registrar of sports, despite long-standing perceptions that it is merely recreational.

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The PS noted that in recent years, there have been multiple incidents where young men and women have faced harassment from security officers while playing pool, particularly at night in informal settings.

"We've had a challenge with games such as pool being used recreationally and sometimes associated with gambling and crime, but it is registered like any other sport,” Mwangi said.

The lack of structured organisation among players, he explained, has made it difficult to distinguish legitimate sporting activity from unlawful behaviour.

In January, Kenyans were outraged when CCTV footage was circulated on social media depicting at least 10 police officers who were armed with guns and rungus storming a room with two pool tables where several young men were playing and assaulting them at 11 pm.

According to him, formal registration of players into clubs will not only shield them from unnecessary confrontations with authorities but also create a clear framework for accountability and growth.

“I want to tell Kenyans that pool is a registered sport with the sports registrar. What we need to do is bring players together so they can be registered as social clubs and then connected with the federation,” he added.

Organized clubs can be easily identified in case of disputes or incidents, while also benefiting from competitions such as tournaments and talent development pathways.

He said the government is keen on nurturing talent from the village level through to national and even international platforms, noting that pool and darts have significant untapped potential among the youth.

The PS said this during the Gaturi Sports and Culture Festival in Kiharu Constituency, Murang’a County that brought together the elderly, students and youth in a wide range of activities such as football, volleyball, athletics, darts, karate, tug of war, spoken word and cultural showcases.

The event was designed not only to identify talent but also to foster community cohesion and dialogue around development while steering young people away from social vices.

“I want to encourage our young men and women that during these holidays, rather than engaging in vices, let them join local sports clubs so that they can grow their sporting prowess and even earn from it in the future,” he said.

The festival also served as a platform to update residents on ongoing government projects in the region.

He outlined projects such as affordable housing in Makenji, Makuyu and Murang’a town, market construction projects in Kambirwa and Gakurwe, road infrastructure upgrades, and the construction of hostels at Kiharu TVET.

He donated water pipes to help in last mile connectivity in the area saying he wanted better water coverage to be part of the legacy of the festival.

Mwangi also revealed plans to revitalize the historic Mukurwe wa Nyagathanga site into a major cultural and tourism hub through collaboration between the county government, the National Museums of Kenya and local cultural institutions such as Kiama Kia Ma council of elders.

The national Museums is already undertaking Sh70 million development involving the construction of a perimeter wall, landscaping, renovation of existing structures, and creation of spaces for local communities to exhibit cultural artifacts.

“We want to have very well landscaped sites, we want to renovate the buildings in the site and ensure locals have spaces they can exhibit cultural artefacts and provide training for those seeking info on the site”.