Eight to pay Sh4m for locking out women from golf roles

A court has ordered eight golfers to pay Sh4.4 million as legal costs for a case involving exclusion of female golfers from election of Limuru Country Club golf committee members.

The eight are Yassin Awale, Robert Barua, Peter Mungai, Erick Kimuri, Kagochi Mutero, Victor Gichuru, Anthony Wangari and Tom Waiharo. They will pay Sh4,411,791 after justice James Makau reduced the bill by Sh500,000. Earlier, the court’s deputy registrar had capped the costs at Sh4,911,791 but the eight golfers sought a review.

The costs emanate from a dispute that was filed in court in 2013 by three women lawyers, Rose Wangui, Martha Vincent and Caroline Wangari , challenging a resolution by the Board of Directors of the Club to amend part of the Club’s by-law in December 2012.

They contended that the amendment exempted the female golfers from participating in the Club’s general meeting and election of members of the golf committee.

According to them, this was not only discriminated against the female membership contrary to the constitution of the Club, but was also in breach of their fundamental rights and freedoms enshrined in the Constitution of Kenya.

They also took issue with the disciplinary process used by the eight male golfers leading to their suspension and expulsion of their handicaps.

The three women had served in various senior positions at the Club, with Ms Wangui serving as vice-chair and director of the Club until early 2013 when she was removed from office.

Ms Vincent and Ms Wangari had served as lady golf captains and were at the time of filing the suit suspended from the Club and subsequently from the Kenya Ladies Golf Union (KLGU) where they were officials.meeting as guests.