Inter-Parliamentary Games: How The Regional Showpiece Inspired Manyatta MP Gitonga Mukunji To Start Athletics Club

_{Manyatta MP Gitonga Mukunji on his was to bagging bronze in men’s 400m at the ongoing EAC Inter-Parliamentary Games in Mombasa. PHOTO/PARLIAMENT OF KENYA} 

MOMBASA, Kenya— Kigari Teachers College in Embu has done well in churning out the world-beating relay and cross-country talents.

The high altitude zone combined with the conducive climate is what inspired Manyatta Member of Parliament (MP) Gitonga Mukunji to embrace athletics.

And barely four years after he started to engage in various competitions, Gitonga is now proud to have so far nestled three silvers and a  bronze, all from the annual East African Community (EAC) Inter-Parliamentary Games.

His first silver was in the 12th edition of the games in South Sudan in men’s 400m.

He bagged silver again in the 13th edition in Kigali, Rwanda last year in the same category, and now he was good for bronze after clocking 1:02.7 behind Ugandan winner Robert Ssekiitoleeko (1:01.3) and his runners up compatriot Simon Wokorach (1:02.5) in the ongoing EAC championships in Mombasa.

Gitonga has also led Kenya, in the Mombasa event, to win silver in the men’s 4x400m category which was dominated by the Ugandans.

Participation in the yearly EAC games and the high altitude and good climate back home is what fuelled Gitonga’s passion to start his own athletics club in Embu. The Gitonga Athletics Club now gives Embu residents a chance to jog, run, sprint and stretch their muscles to keep fit.

The club is not only helping participants to unearth their talents but also to dream big on how to be world beaters.

“I couldn’t just see world class athletes come to Kigari, train and go win medals out there, so I also started my own training club last year, it is picking on well. This is where I trained before I came to Mombasa for these games, and I’m happy that I was able to win medals for Kenya. I really feel proud of the achievements,” noted Gitonga.

“At my club, we start our training at 6am but people are free to train anytime depending on their daily schedules. Some prefer jogging while others run. It’s just a joy to see that I have given Embu residents a platform to embrace and mould their fitness,” he underlined.

While encouraging Kenyans to be physically fit, Mukunji stated: “Daily training has a lot of benefits; from increased blood flow to the heart, to living healthy lifestyles, it also help people to clear their mind fogs, fight lifestyle diseases and integrate socially through networking.”

Apart from the 400m which he has specialized in, Mukunji has tried his luck in the 800m in the EAC games but this did not augur well with him.

He now plans to return better and stronger next season, to go for gold in men’s 400m in the future editions of the EAC regional sporting extravaganza, but now he is very comfortable with the three silvers and a bronze he is currently nestling in his cabinet.

 The Mombasa EAC games selected results

Men’s 400m final

1.Robert Ssekiitoleeko (Uganda) 1:01.3 

2.Simon Wokorach (Uganda )1:02.5

3.Gitonga Mukunji (Kenya) 1:02.7

4.Joshua Kandie (1:06.0)

5.Desire Njiti (Burundi) 1:07.9

Basketball men

Kenya 64. 37 Burundi

Men’s football

Kenya 1 1 Burundi

Men’s golf leaderboard (after second round)

1.Kenya 274 points

2.Uganda 238

Women’s golf leaderboard (after second round)

1.Uganda 252

2.Tanzania 94

Men’s volleyball 

Kenya 0 3 Rwanda

Women’s netball 

Kenya 14  49 Uganda

Women’s volleyball 

Kenya 3  0 Burundi

Women’s basketball 

Kenya 25  47 Tanzania