Throughout 2025, Nakuru experienced a notable increase in sporting activity, particularly in indoor games.

Over the course of the year, the county hosted an increasing number of indoor sports tournaments, establishing Nakuru as a growing hub for competitive indoor sports.

Notably, darts emerged as one of the most popular indoor sports in the town. Several tournaments were held throughout the year, many of which attracted international players, raising Nakuru’s profile on the continental darts scene.

As a result, Nakuru went on to produce some of the finest darts players in Kenya and Africa. One of these players was Felix Kirwa, who finished as runner-up at the African Darts Continental Championship.

He was joined by other top players, including Sammy Njamba, Julius Ndung’u and John Maroa, who have all proudly represented Kenya in global competitions.

At the same time, women players were making remarkable strides in the sport. Leading the way was Millicent Wangui, Kenya’s top-ranked player and two-time Africa Women Series champion.

In addition, up-and-coming talents such as Daisy Yatir and Eddah Warui continue to challenge stereotypes and inspire more women to take up the game and compete at higher levels.

Dart players competed in a tournament held at Lions Primary School.

Photo credit: Muthoni Wanjiku/Mtaa Wangu

Furthermore, the growth of darts in Nakuru was accelerated by the establishment of the Flamingo Franchise, a professional darts organisation operating under the Africa Darts Group and the Professional Darts Corporation (PDC). Through this international connection, local players gained valuable exposure and opportunities to compete on the global stage.

What initially began as a few casual matches in local pubs gradually transformed into a countywide movement. By the end of the year, Nakuru had over 500 registered darts players, both male and female, representing clubs in Nakuru town, Naivasha, Molo, Subukia and Njoro.

Similarly, pool table games also experienced a significant increase in popularity in 2025. Once considered a niche recreational activity, pool has steadily transitioned into a mainstream indoor sport with a rapidly growing fan base.

Consequently, this increased interest led to the organisation of competitive tournaments by various clubs in Nakuru, with some competitions offering prize pools of up to Sh2 million.

Interestingly, several high-profile tournaments were held at popular venues such as Space Next Door, Chilli’s Tavern and Wave XO Club. Organisers and players alike remain hopeful that more venues will support structured and competitive indoor games, including darts and pool.

In addition, table tennis made quiet but meaningful progress during the year. A training camp for the sport held at Menengai High School highlighted its slow but steady rise, attracting young players and seasoned athletes eager to hone their skills.

Meanwhile, the gaming and e-sports sector also recorded significant growth. Throughout the year, Nakuru hosted more local gaming tournaments at various gaming parlours. Most notably, the town hosted the Kenya E-Sports Series, which offered a prize pool of 100,000 Kenyan shillings.

Gamers compete at the Rangers Tournament in Naivasha.

Photo credit: Muthoni Wanjiku/Mtaa Wangu

The highlight of the year, however, was the two editions of the Rangers Tournament, with the second offering the largest prize pool to date at 280,000 Kenyan shillings.

Nakuru’s strong performance against visitors highlights growing local gaming enthusiasm

Author Spotlight

Muthoni Wanjiku