Tennis Kenya Sec-Gen Karani eyes continental post
Tennis Kenya Secretary-General Wanjiru Mbugua-Karani (right) and Nairobi Club chairman George Otieno address a press conference at Nairobi Club on May 31, 2023 on the preparations of the upcoming Billie Jean King Cup Africa Group III event.
What you need to know:
- The ITF Level II certified coach and Junior Tennis Initiative co-ordinator says her vision for Zone IV is to foster collaboration, inspiration and purpose and draw on collective strengths to nurture East African players capable of excelling on professional tours regardless of their country of origin.
- “Together, we can achieve greatness,” says Wanjiru.
Tennis Kenya Secretary General Wanjiru Mbugua-Karani is hoping to become the first female Confederation of African Tennis (CAT) vice president from Eastern Africa (Zone IV) when the Africa tennis governing body holds its Annual General Meeting (AGM) on October 27 in Nairobi.
The retired Kenya Team player and captain is vying for the position of Eastern Africa president and will face Zayya Mahmoud from the Comoros.
If elected, Wanjiru will automatically become the vice president of CAT, a position that is currently being held by Kenya’s Patrick Gichira, who is not seeking re-election after 12 years as Zone IV president and CAT vice president.
The AGM, which is the 50th, will be an elective AGM with all three approved elective positions - CAT Presidency, Zone Presidency and Women Representative - up for contention.
Thirty five African Tennis Federations will be in attendance led by the current and outgoing CAT President Tarak Cherif from Tunisia. The International Tennis Federation (ITF) boss David Haggerty will grace the AGM.
“It is an honour for Tennis Kenya to host the 50th CAT AGM. It will be the dawn of a new era of African Tennis leadership when a new president will step in,” noted Wanjiru who is the Team Kenya Chief Executive Officer for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.
The ITF member added that Kenya last hosted CAT AGM in 2012 on the sidelines of the Africa Junior Championships.
“Hosting this elective AGM will also showcase Kenya’s capacity to hold big events like the ITF AGM in the near future in Kenya which Africa has held few times,” said Wanjiru, who boasts of huge experience as the team manager of Team Kenya at the African Games, Youth Olympics, Billie Jean King Cup, Davis Cup, Beach Games and Junior teams.
The ITF Level II certified coach and Junior Tennis Initiative co-ordinator says her vision for Zone IV is to foster collaboration, inspiration and purpose and draw on collective strengths to nurture East African players capable of excelling on professional tours regardless of their country of origin.
“Together, we can achieve greatness,” says Wanjiru.
