Kenyan boxers pose for a photo during the Africa Boxing Championships in Kinshasa, DRC.
Kenya’s national boxing team, ‘Hit Squad’, delivered an impressive performance at the recent Africa Boxing Confederation Championships in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo, sparking hope for the sport’s revival in the country.
The team brought home eight medals—one gold, two silver, and five bronze—finishing third overall in the medal standings. Only Morocco and host nation DRC, both with 21 medals, finished ahead of Kenya.
This success marks a significant improvement from the previous year’s championship in Yaoundé, Cameroon, where Kenya placed 17th with seven bronze medals.
The team’s golden moment in Kinshasa came courtesy of Boniface “The Hammer” Mogunde, who clinched the light-middleweight title with a win over Burundi’s Nestor Nduwarugira in a split points decision. Mogunde’s victory is Kenya’s first continental gold since 2017, when Nick Okoth won in the lightweight division by edging out Algeria’s Reda Benbaziz in a close fight in Congo Brazzaville.
Mogunde’s win has sparked optimism for the future of boxing in Kenya, inspiring the squad to aim even higher in upcoming international competitions.
“I thank Kenyans who kept on praying for me to win a gold medal,” said Mogunde.
Another standout performer, reigning Mandela African Boxing Cup champion Elizabeth Andiego, narrowly missed gold in the lightweight division after losing to Morocco’s Hasna Larti in a split points decision.
Andiego, who has represented Kenya since 2020, described the loss as one of the hardest setbacks of her career, though she remains hopeful for future opportunities.
First-time international competitor Clinton Macharia also brought home silver after a fierce super heavyweight match against Younes Bouhdid of Morocco.
Macharia’s strong debut highlighted the potential within Kenya’s up-and-coming boxing talent. Bronze medals were claimed by Amina Martha, Abednego Kyalo, Shaffi Bakari, Vincent Ochieng, and Robert Okaka, who all made it to the semi-finals but were narrowly eliminated.
This success in Kinshasa follows inspiring performances by Kenyan boxers at the African Games in Accra, Ghana, six months ago.
There, Edwin Okong’o made headlines by winning gold in the middleweight division—Kenya’s first gold at the African Games in 17 years. Amina Martha also excelled, securing a silver medal in the women’s bantamweight category.
Despite these recent successes, Kenya’s boxing scene has faced challenges. The country failed to qualify any boxers for the upcoming 2024 Paris Olympics, with athletes struggling at the African qualifiers held in Dakar, Senegal.
Furthermore, Kenya returned from the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham without a single medal for the first time since 2002, underscoring the need for renewed focus and support.
Head coach Benjamin Musa remains believes Kenya can reclaim its place as a powerhouse in African boxing with adequate government support and development efforts.
“To excel in international tournaments, early preparation and structured support are crucial,” Musa stated. “Let’s introduce boxing in our schools to tap talent early enough,” he added.
