• The championship will bring together global shooters from the USA, France, Germany, Italy, South Africa, Romania, Ukraine and Switzerland.
•Nyanza Complex Rifle Club chairman Peter Okul said over 30 shooters, including discipline forces from Kenya have registered for the competition.
Image: MAURICE ALAL
Kenya will host the International Pistol Defensive Association (IDPA) Africa Intercontinental championship from April 23 to 27 in Mombasa.
The event will bring together global shooters from as far as the USA, France, Germany, Italy, South Africa, Romania, Ukraine and Switzerland.
The IDPA Tier 4 event will take place at Bamburi Rifle Club. More than 300 shooters are expected to participate in the Inter-continental competition.
Nyanza Complex Rifle Club chairman Peter Okul confirmed that 30 shooters mostly from the disciplined forces, will represent the country in the event.
“We have members including legally licensed firearm holders and from the disciplined forces, who will represent our nation,” he said.
The competition will begin with shooting sessions by chief safety officers and safety officers to allow them to run the main match on April 26 and 27.
He expressed confidence that the team to represent Kenya will perform well during the championship.
“This will be the third time the continental championship is being hosted in Kenya after the first one in 2021. This is also the first time to open it to the public,” he said.
Kisumu County Tourism and Culture executive Farida Salim has been g training at the Nyanza shooting range in Kibos.
“The training is in top gear at the club’s shooting range in Kisumu as members get ready for the competition,” Okul said.
Okul said the Western Kenya Region will be represented by many shooters as compared to the previous year.
“This is because of the newly introduced organisation (NCRC) which has brought together license firearm holders (LFH) in the region and also introduced them to shooting,” he said.
Last year, Okul was the only shooter who attended the Africa Championship in Kirigit, Kiambu county.
He hopes the Nyanza Shooting Range, currently under construction, will be ready by the end of the year to enable the Western Kenya Region to host such competitions if the country manages to secure a tier 4 slot again. “We are lobbying to ensure we host international competition in Kisumu next year,” Okul said.
The shooting range in Kisumu, the first of its kind in the Western region, will promote shooting as a sport in the region.
Okul said the range will bring the sport closer to people and reduce the cost of travelling to Nairobi by firearm holders. The facility will be established in the Kibos area in the Muhoroni sub-county.
Okul said the range will be built to International Defensive Pistol Association (IDPA) standards to enhance training and hosting of events.
Nyanza Club comprises 150 registered members made up of legally licensed firearm holders and members of the disciplined forces.
“Those who want to join the club should apply and submit all the required documents from relevant multi-government agencies to become a member,” Okul said.
The club, he said, works with the government to streamline the use of firearms in the hands of civilians. He cautioned firearm holders in Nyanza and Western against misuse, saying they risk their licences being cancelled by the Firearm Licensing Board of Kenya.
Okul, who is Switzerland’s Competitive Marksman Action (CMA) secretary general, said they are committed to nurturing young talents from the region like those in other regions.
“We expect to have a range of not less than 10 bases because we are introducing sports for adults and young people in the region,” Okul said.
CMA is a new dynamic shooting sport based on safe, simple and effective shooting skills.