Golfer Njoroge Kibugu gets Ksh5M richer after Ruto honours promise
By Joel Masibo, March 17, 2026Kenya’s top golfer, Njoroge Kibugu, is Ksh5 million richer after the government issued a cheque in honour of his phenomenal performance at the Magical Kenya Open (MKO) golfing tournament, which was held in February 2026.
The five-million bonanza is a fulfilment of the pledge made to the young golfer by President William Ruto during the award presentation and closing ceremony of the MKO at Karen Country Golf Club on Sunday, February 22, 2026.
Cheque presentation
While presenting the cheque on Tuesday, March 17, 2026, at Talanta Plaza in Nairobi, the Cabinet Secretary for Youth Affairs, Creative Economy and Sports, Salim Mvurya, stated that the monetary reward was a solid demonstration of the president’s full commitment to promoting talent and supporting the growth of sports.
Terming Kibugu as Kenya’s golfing hero, the CS acknowledged the young golfer’s skills, talent and dedication and termed them as traits that are inspiring the next generation of golfers. He added that already, Kibugu’s stellar showing at MKO is attracting a lot of global attention, where he will be participating in international golfing tournaments.
“Njoroge has attracted a lot of attention internationally. Very soon, he will be joining the international tournament,” disclosed the CS in a statement.
The CS further said the presentation of the cheque was also a testament to the government’s resolve to nurture and inspire talent in diverse sports disciplines.
He gave the assurance that the ministry would collaborate with federations and sports stakeholders to uplift talent and make it a source of livelihood.
The CS said the government and the golfing fraternity in Kenya are working on developing a comprehensive golfing curriculum for schools and other institutions as part of nurturing young golfers to take up the game.
While receiving the cheque, Kibugu said the award was an inspiration to other golfers and proof that investing time, skills and resources in training was rewarding. He further noted that the government’s support for the growth and development of golfing in Kenya was a significant step towards creating a new generation of golfing champions.
“This is a great move, not just for me but for the rest of the golfers, juniors, and those who are inspired to play this professionally; they can now see that if you put time and effort, it can be achieved,” he said.
Rewarding exellence
Patrick Obath, the chair of the Kenya Golf Open, termed it as gratifying the government’s move to recognise and reward achievements in the golfing sector. He added that the golfing fraternity was working on honing the skills of young golfers to ensure more talented players make the cut in future global tournaments.
The ceremony was attended by Principal Secretary, State Department for Sports, Elijah Mwangi, Golf Kenya president Philip Ochola and senior officials from the sports department.