By OUR CORRESPONDENT
Kenya Breweries Limited (KBL) has reaffirmed its commitment to sports development, focusing on elevating the global profile of Kenyan events and enhancing the fan experience.
Speaking at the Karen Country Club during the 2026 Magical Kenya Open, KBL Managing Director Andrew Kilonzo emphasized that KBL’s involvement in major sporting events is designed to provide a world-class platform for both athletes and fans.
“What we are doing is just making sure that they get the best sport experience and then after that… they’ll have the best enjoyment, the best village experience,” Kilonzo stated. “You get a balance of both: you come enjoy fantastic talented sports at world-class level.”
KBL’s support for the 57th edition of the Magical Kenya Open was delivered through its Johnnie Walker brand, with a sponsorship package valued at KES 65 million. The investment, which included both cash and in-kind support, was instrumental in hosting the tournament’s entertainment village. This year’s “19th hole” experience featured a headline performance by Nyashinski and Njerae, supported by a lineup of prominent DJs including Nijo, Redbone, Vera, Festa, Trixy, and Benitez.
Kilonzo noted that the success of the Kenya Open, a premier event on the DP World Tour, reflects the growing global profile of Kenyan sports. He noted that the tournament reached an estimated 750 million households worldwide over its four-day run. “The eyeballs on this tournament have elevated the Magical Kenya Open to the status that it is,” he added.
The KES 65 million sponsorship follows KBL’s recent KES 40 million injection into the HSBC SVNS 2 rugby tournament, signaling a sustained period of investment across multiple disciplines.
“We also want to do more to ensure that the grassroots talent that is here can start reaching for that level,” Kilonzo affirmed, noting that the company is not holding back on its over half-billion-shilling sports sponsorship across its portfolio.
This year’s Magical Kenya Open, held from February 19-22, 2026, saw South Africa’s Casey Jarvis clinch his first DP World Tour title with an impressive score of 25-under-par 255 . Kenyan participation was notably led by Njoroge Kibugu, who finished tied for 61st place, after being the only Kenyan to make the cut at the tournament.
