City lawyers offer three boxing clubs 'life-changing' donation
From left: Gilbert Omondi (Kayole Wings Millers Boxing Club coach), Benson Gicharu (Mukuru Fight 4 Life Boxing Club coach), lawyers Isaac Irungu, lawyer Danstan Omari and Mwaura Kabata and Julius Theuri of G44 Boxing Club, pose for photos with dummy cheques presented to the clubs at Cardinal Otunga Plaza, Nairobi on December 5, 2023.
What you need to know:
- The highlight of the “Law of the Ring”, which included free legal aid to the public and entertainment, was a three-round welterweight exhibition match between Wambui and Njeru.
- Wambui won in a unanimous decision.
Former Olympian Benson Gicharu was all smiles Tuesday night as he left Cardinal Otunga Plaza in Nairobi.
A huge financial burden had just been lifted off his shoulders – at least for a few months - after his boxing club, Mukuru Fight 4 Life, received Sh225,300 in donations from the charity boxing event recently organised by two advocates of the High Court of Kenya, who are amateur boxers.
It was dubbed “Law of the Ring” with G44 Boxing Club in Githurai and Kayole Wings Millers Boxing Club in Kayole being the other teams earmarked to benefit from the event held on November 25 at Charter Hall in Nairobi. G44 Boxing Club and Kayole Wings Millers Boxing Club also received Sh 225,300 each.
Lawyers Benjamin Njeru and Shadrack Wambui partnered with various stakeholders for the charity boxing event to raise funds and boxing equipment for the teams. Njeru is a member of the G44 Boxing Club, while Wambui fights for Kayole Wings Millers Boxing Club.
The highlight of the “Law of the Ring”, which included free legal aid to the public and entertainment, was a three-round welterweight exhibition match between Wambui and Njeru.
Wambui won in a unanimous decision.
Gicharu said that in most cases, he depends on well-wishers to take pugilists for matches, thus the money is a boost to the club based at Fuata Nyayo Slums in Nairobi.
“It is always very discouraging when every time we have to ask for money to attend events,” said the 2010 Dehli Commonwealth Games silver medallist. “In most cases, I’m forced to carry the burden because I’m the founder of the club. I appreciate my wife so much because she has never complained.”
Danstan Omari was among the high-profile lawyers who attended the ceremony to hand over the proceeds from the “Law of the Ring” at Cardinal Otunga Plaza.
Of the money each club received, Omari and West Mugirango Member of Parliament Stephen Mogaka, also an advocate, donated a sum of Sh100,000.
Omari represented Mogaka at the event.
“During our time, sports were not paying and boxing was seen as a crime. Things have now changed and I would like to encourage young men to take sports seriously,” advised Omari.
Gicharu said they will pay school fees for some of the budding pugilists at the club. It was the same case for Kayole Wings Millers Boxing Club coach Gilbert Omondi. “We have been through so many offices searching for help but nothing has been forthcoming. This (donation) will enable us to support these players in many ways including paying school fees for some,” said Omondi. Coach Julius Theuri of G44 Boxing Club said they will use the money to cater for the logistics.
Wambui and Njeru were overjoyed to see the event conclude successfully and promised that next year’s edition would be bigger. “Things have been marvellous, I had not anticipated that they would get to this extent,” said Wambui, adding that for the continuity of the event, he will run for the Law Society of Kenya, Nairobi Representative position in the upcoming elections.
“I optimistic that if I am elected as a Council Member of LSK, this idea will be entrenched as an activity of LSK.”
Njeru said: “We ran on a zero budget and realised everything from the people who came and bought tickets. We are really happy and hope that next year, the sports will be asking to be part of us so that we give our boxers a bigger platform to showcase their talent.”
Lawyer Anne Odhiambo, the Chairlady of the “Law of the Ring" Organising Committee, said that since the event has been a success, she would gladly accept that role again at next year's event.
