Kenya's boxers win seven straight at World Boxing Africa Elite Championships in Nairobi

Kenya's team had won seven bouts in a row at the World Boxing Africa Elite Championships by the time the Fica News reporter left the Kasarani Indoor Arena in Nairobi on 19 October. Coach Abdalla Feiswal Abdalla said Kenya won all five of its bouts on the first two days; the reporter then saw two more Kenyan wins. The last two Kenyans to fight that day both lost. The Kenyan news site The Eastleigh Voice reported in 2024 that Abdalla coached the Lamu Youth Boxing Club. The bouts that day were quarter-finals.

The Fica News reporter reached the arena at 2pm. The crowd was small, mostly boxers' families and friends. Kenya's captain, Boniface Mogunde, was not at the venue; he was training.

Elizabeth Andiego, an assistant coach, told Fica News that Kenya has 17 boxers in total: 10 men and 7 women.

Earlier figures for the squad were larger. The Kenyan news site Citizen Digital reported on 25 September that the Boxing Federation of Kenya had named a 39-member squad, 28 men and 11 women. Head coach Benjamin Musa said, as quoted by the site on 13 October: "We began training last week with a squad of 40 boxers, comprising ten weight categories for women and ten for men."

Kenya won all five of its bouts over the first two days of competition, On 17 October, the opening day of bouts, Emmanuel Odhiambo beat Angola's Noel Luemba 4-1 and Aloice Vincent beat Uganda's Amoke Innocent 4-1. On 18 October Mogunde beat Uganda's Matovu Ukata 5-0, Edwin Okong'o beat Nigeria's Emmanuel Chukwuka 5-0, and Steve Onyango edged Angola's Ramiro Dos Santos Zadel 3-2 at light heavyweight.

Bouts on 19 October began at about 3pm. Kelvin Maina beat Uganda's Kakane Bruno 4-1 at flyweight, and Odhiambo beat Sudan's Zienalabden Ismael Jbrel Zienalabde 5-0 at bantamweight. Benedict Juma, at lightweight, and Vincent, at welterweight, fought after the reporter left. Duncan "Sugar Ray" Kuria, communications director of the Boxing Federation of Kenya, said both lost 3-2 split decisions.

The official bout sheet for the afternoon session on 20 October, starting at 1pm, lists five Kenyans: Grace Atieno (46-48kg) against Uganda's Wakawoza Rasjda; Amina Martha (women's bantamweight) against Nigeria's Ajishola Khadijat; Elizabeth Akinyi (women's light heavyweight) against Tanzania's Nkavilavyahidaya Zahoro; Odhiambo (bantamweight) against Uganda's Msubuga Samuel; and Clinton Machenia (super heavyweight) against Uganda's Tabule Emmanuel.

Peter Mburu, a spectator from Githurai and a friend of boxer Kelvin Maina, said the event was very well organised and very fair. He said he had come for three days and had been let in free.

Africa Boxing, led by Solomon Kargbo, runs the championships under World Boxing. The championships are scheduled to run from 15 to 28 October; organisers had confirmed 20 countries by 15 October, Citizen Digital reported.

The International Boxing Association is holding its own 23rd African Boxing Confederation Championships in Kinshasa, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), from 18 October to 1 November.