▪️Kasarani Youth Club’s Morris Kimani dominated Africa Zone 3 champion Silus Onyango but to the surprise of boxing analysts and fans, the Police boxer was declared 3-2 winner
▪️Kenya Defence Forces dethrone bitter rivals Police but there was no overall trophy to show for their victory
▪️For the first time in the history of Kenya boxing, the Open event was livestreamed by BFK and boxers awarded medals, a milestone achievement
April 6, 2026
A highly contentious decision in men’s minimumweight dampened an otherwise well organized National Kenya Open Championships which was livestreamed for the first time in Kenya’s boxing history. Kudos BFK for funding this important venture in this era of digitization.
Irate fans at a packed Kaloleni Social Hall erupted in loud jeers and catcalls to show their disapproval on Police boxer Silus Onyango’s dubious victory in the minimumweight category. Some threw plastic water bottles towards the ring.
Kasarani Youth Club’s Morris Kimani dominated the exchanges against Africa Zone 3 champion Onyango but was denied victory.
Trained judges controversially sided with Onyango whom they surprisingly and shamefully declared the winner by a 3-2 decision despite Kimani outsmarting Onyango with superior technical boxing and scoring the cleaner shots against the brawling Police boxer. If anything, Kimani should have won the fight 5-0.
Normally a pressure fighter who likes fighting his opponents from the inside with rapid combinations, Onyango was not given room by the 21-year-old southpaw Kimani who kept him at bay with his darting jab spruced up by well timed combinations that made Onyango look ordinary.
What clearly came out is that Onyango is not a creative boxer capable of using a variety of styles against opponents who contain his brawling approach.
The big question remains: were the judges watching boxing or netball? It’s not fair to the boxers and coaches to be subjected to this frustration by knowledgeable judges who deliberately lean on one side for unknown reasons. The judges should look at themselves in the mirror and shout: shame on me!!!
Boxing Federation of Kenya (BFK) must arrest the situation but all in all officiating in the preliminaries, quarter-finals and semis went on very well save for the finals.
Eyebrows were also raised on the cruiserweight winner Humphrey Ochieng aka Jakababa of Police.
While the fight itself was a stinker and a sissy affair with no fireworks from able-bodied men, KDF’s Chris Ochanda deserved to win. With such a low-key approach, the duo can hardly make an impression at the big stage in this division.
On the choice of female and male best boxers, in my opinion I feel Pioneer Veronica Mbithe and bantamweight Dennis Muthama displayed a remarkable performance to win the award.
Minimumweight Jane Wangare and featherweight sensation Chris Juma were declared the winners of the best boxer’s award but of course we all don’t think alike.
Muthama was in spanking form. Never before have I seen him put up such a devastating show, winning all his fights inside the distance. In the finals, Muthama proved he’s the bantamweight king with an explosive demolition of Chris “Tiger” Musyoki whom he stopped in the third round with a consistent dose of stinging combinations. Musyoki still remains a good prospect, and made a name for himself with an upset 3-2 points win over experienced international Shaffi Bakari in a closely contested bout which could have gone either way.
Mbithe showed a big improvement in her boxing, putting up a mature and clinical performance against unimpressive Lencer Akinyi whom she decked once and subjected her to three standing counts.
Lightweight Ben Juma was also on course for the award, in my opinion, but did not feature in the finals owing to an injury.
Ben’s brother, Chris Juma, outpointed Mwinyi Kombo in a dull featherweight bout that did not live up to its billing of a thriller. Kombo looked unfit and unprepared for the big event, running out of gas in the third round.
“Man Ngori” Robert Okaka, a world championships quarter-finalist, was in a no-nonsense mood, ruthlessly punishing Police’s light-heavyweight George Cosby with power-packed right punches that forced the referee to stop the fight in the second round to save a well beaten Cosby from a possible disaster.
Overall, BFK did a commendable job especially transmitting the Kenya Open live for the first time in Kenya’s boxing history as well as awarding medals to the winners. Next time the medals should be accompanied by cash tokens. Regular Livestreaming helps in giving BFK’s tournaments more visibility, and eventually sponsors will come on board.
KDF DETHRONE KENYA POLICE
Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) clinched the 2026 National Kenya Open Boxing Championships overall title after a dominant performance in the four-day event that saw them win 9 gold medals and 23 points in their assault backpack, edging out their bitter rivals and 2025 Open Champions Kenya Police Service by a single point after collecting 6 gold medals and 22 points.
Kasarani Youth Boxing Club finished third with an excellent 8 points and one gold medal, tied with the most improved team, Kisumu County, who also received 8 points and a gold medal.
Interestingly, KDF went home without the overall winners trophy. There was nothing for winners and runners-up. Not good enough. Next year let’s see the winners receive an attractive trophy to dance with after winning.
1. Kenya Defence Forces (23)
2. Kenya Police Service (22)
3. Kasarani Youth Boxing Club 8
4. Kisumu County 8
5. Kenya Prisons Services 6
6. Sombea Boxing Inter-Clubs 6
7. Nairobi County 5
8. Nakuru ABA 3
9. Mombasa County 2
10. Kibra Youth Boxing Club 2
11. G44 Boxing Club 1
12. Lamu County 1
13. Kajiado County 1
14. Meru County 1
15. Laikipia County 0
16. Kiambu County 0
17. Homabay County 0
18. Dallas Boxing Club 0
2026 NATIONAL KENYA OPEN CHAMPIONSHIPS FINALS RESULTS
Ladies minimumweight 48 Kgs
🟥 Jane Wangare (Prisons) (5)🥇
🟦 Grace Atieno (Prisons) (0)
Men minimumweight 48 Kgs
🟥 Silus Onyango (Police) (3)🥇
🟦 Morris Kimani (Kasarani Youth) (2) 🥈
Ladies flyweight 50 Kgs
🟥 Veronica Mbithe (KDF) (5)🥇
🟦 Lencer Akinyi (Nairobi) (0) 🥈
Flyweight 51 Kgs
🟥 Emmanuel Chondo (KDF) (5) 🥇
🟦 Kevin Karogo (KDF) (0) 🥈
Ladies bantamweight 50 Kgs
🟥 Amina Martha (POLICE)🥇
🟦 Fridah Mercy (Mombasa) (RSC-1) 🥈
Bantamweight 54 Kgs
🟥 Chris Musyoki (Prisons) (RSC-2)🥈
🟦 Dennis Muthama (KDF) 🥇
Ladies featherweight 57 Kgs
🟥 Pauline Chege (KDF)🥇
🟦 Joyce Nyaga (Nairobi) (RSC-1)🥈
Featherweight 57 Kgs
🟥 Kombo Mwinyi (Police) (0)🥈
🟦 Chriss Juma (Kasarani Youth) (5)🥇
Ladies lightweight 60 Kgs
🟥 Emmaculate Atieno (Kisumu)🥇
🟦 Rahab Mumbi (Police) (RSC-I) 🥈
Lightweight 60 Kgs
🟥 Emmanuel Omollo (Police)🥇
🟦 Ben Juma (Kasarani Youth) (W/O)🥈
Light-welterweight 63.5Kgs
🟥 Warren Onyango (KDF) (RSC-2)🥈
🟦 Ayub Waweru (Sombea)🥇
Welterweight 67 Kgs
🟥 John Muthiani (Nairobi) (2)🥈
🟦 Fred Omondi (KDF) (3)🥇
Ladies light-middleweight 70 Kgs
🟥 Frizza Asiko (KDF) 🥇
🟦 Claire Okwaluma (Nairobi) 🥈(RSC-3)
Light-middleweight 71 Kgs
🟥 Alvin Oduor (KDF) 🥇
🟦 Samuel Owuor (Kisumu) (RSC-3)🥈
Middleweight 75 Kgs
🟥 Stephen Onyango (Police) (0)🥈
🟦 Edwin Okongo (KDF) (5) 🥇
Light-heavyweight 80 Kgs
🟥 Robert Okaka (KDF)🥇
🟦 George Cosby (Police)🥈(RSC-2)
Cruiserweight 86 Kgs
🟥 Chriss Ochanda (KDF) (2)🥈
🟦 Humphrey Ochieng (Police) (3)🥇
Heavyweight 92+
🟥 John Oyugi (Police)🥇
🟦 Fahad Juma (Kisumu) (ABD-1)🥈
Super heavyweight 92+
🟥 Clinton Macharia (Police)🥇
🟦 Jasper Sagali (Sombea) 🥈(RSC-2)
