The 2024 sports season was spectacular for Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT). The University’s sporting teams showcased exceptional talent securing championship titles and making historic debuts.
Among its many accomplishments, JKUAT cemented its dominance in the region by emerging as the top university in Kenya at the East African Games. The university overcame strong adversaries to achieve outstanding results. One of the most remarkable highlights of the season was the introduction of Kabaddi at the university. As a relatively new sport at JKUAT, and still growing in popularity, Kabaddi men’s team delivered a dominant performance to clinch the 2024 season title.
JKUAT’s handball team proved to be a force to reckon with, finishing second in the annual Kenya University Sports Federation Handball Tournament held in October 2024 at Ukunda.
Their performance was impressive, battling through intense competition to reach the finals, where they narrowly missed out on the top position.
On the intellectual front, JKUAT’s chess team continued its reign as the team to beat, with the men’s team emerging champions and the women’s team securing second place in the 2024 university rankings. The women’s team however turned up the heat and brought out the biggest guns in East African games to clinch the regional title.
The Rollball men’s team also made headlines, securing second place in the St. Paul’s University-Kenya Annual Rollball Tournament.
Perhaps the most exciting and rapidly growing sport at JKUAT is Baseball, an emerging discipline that requires minimal equipment but delivers maximum thrill.
Under the expert guidance of Coach Philemon Musembi, JKUAT’s Baseball5 team, comprising mostly first-year students, made a remarkable debut in the Softball Federation of Kenya (SFK) Baseball Championship.
The team played in multiple tournaments before clinching first place in the August Series, a historic milestone for the university. The rapid rise of Baseball5 and baseball is no coincidence in JKUAT, as the university partnered with local and international partners to promote the highly regarded sport across the world. The University is closely working with the United States based Ifwebuildit organization to upscale the baseball grounds to meet international standards.
Vice Chancellor, Prof. Victoria Wambui Ngumi, pledged continued support for sports at JKUAT, acknowledging the critical role it plays in holistic student development.
“Our athletes have demonstrated remarkable dedication, discipline, and excellence. As a university, we are committed to fostering an environment where sports can thrive alongside academics. We will continue investing in better facilities, training programs, and opportunities to ensure our students compete at the highest levels,” said Prof. Ngumi.
Director of Sports and Games, Dr. Waweru Kamaku, emphasized that JKUAT is taking an innovative approach to maintaining sports facilities by engaging students from various disciplines as part of their field experience.
“We believe in a holistic approach to education, where students from engineering contribute to the design, maintenance, and improvement of our sports facilities. This not only enhances our infrastructure but also equips students with valuable hands-on experience,” said Dr. Kamaku
He also reaffirmed the university’s commitment to continuously improving training facilities and expanding sports programs to accommodate more disciplines.
JKUAT Sports Officer, Ms. Hellen Ng’ethe, who serves as Secretary General of SFK at the national level and Development Officer at WBSC Africa opined that JKUAT should not be left behind in embracing sports like Baseball, which require minimal equipment and provide an inclusive advantage as a mixed-gender discipline.
