The finals of the Eastern and Northern African Darts Championship turned into a thrilling Kenya-Uganda showdown, with both nations dominating the top spots in the men’s and women’s categories.

Uganda’s Sarah Makanga delivered a flawless performance to clinch the women’s title, defeating Nakuru’s Millicent Wangui in a commanding 4–0 victory. Makanga remained unbeaten throughout the tournament, showcasing remarkable consistency and composure.

Both finalists secured their spots in the championship round after Makanga defeated Regina Nyaga 3–0, while Wangui edged out Setu Dadhaniya 3–2 in closely contested semi-finals.

Uganda’s Sarah Makanga wins the East Africa darts competiiton held in Nakuru on June 1,2025.

Photo credit: MUTHONI WANJIKU/MTAA WANGU

Makanga walked away with a cash prize of Sh. 14,000, while Wangui earned Sh. 7,000. The semi-finalists each received Sh. 3,000.

Speaking after the final, Wangui expressed pride in reaching the finals on home soil despite the loss.

“Reaching the finals at home was a great honour, even though I lost to a better player. Sarah was unbeaten the entire tournament, and that says a lot about her game. Still, it was a wonderful experience,” she says.

Wangui also noted the growing participation of women in darts but emphasized the need for more outreach and support to bring in players from other regions.

In the men’s final, Uganda’s Patrick Ochieng’ overcame Kenya’s top seed Peter Wachiuri 8–5 in a fiercely contested match to lift the title.

Uganda’s Patrick Ochieng’ wins the East Africa darts competition held in Nakuru on June 1,2025.

Photo credit: MUTHONI WANJIKU/MTAA WANGU

Ochieng’ took home Sh. 69,000, while Wachiuri settled for Sh. 34,000. Semi-finalists were awarded Sh. 17,000 each.

The match drew an electrified crowd, especially during the fourth leg when Wachiuri mounted a near-comeback, sending fans into a frenzy with cheers and vuvuzelas. However, Ochieng’ held his nerve to seal the win.

Ochieng’ and Wachiuri earned their places in the final after beating Charles Njuguna 7–2 and Juma Said 7–5 respectively in the semi-finals.

Joseph Mwangi, Nakuru Darts Secretary and co-owner of Flamingo Darts, hailed the tournament as a success and expressed optimism for the future of darts in the region.

“We’re thrilled by the turnout and the level of competition. It’s encouraging to see more young players taking up the sport, which is helping to shift the perception that darts is only for older people,” Mwangi says.

He emphasizes that ongoing efforts will continue to create platforms for youth to develop their skills and pursue potential careers in darts.

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Muthoni Wanjiku