Kenyan darts breaks barroom stereotype as Sirua Darts Group leads a quiet revolution

Many Kenyans are only now discovering David Munyua after his historic appearance at the PDC World Championship. Yet his breakthrough is anything but sudden.

It is the culmination of years of sacrifice, persistence, and quiet investment by stakeholders determined to change how darts is perceived in Kenya.

For decades, darts in Kenya has been dismissed as little more than a barroom pastime—rarely recognised as a competitive sport capable of producing elite talent. Away from the spotlight, however, a committed community of players and organisers has worked tirelessly to rewrite that narrative.

Through structured tournaments, professional standards, and meaningful prize money, they have steadily elevated the game.

A recent example is the Nairobi Darts Masters, held at Broadwalk Mall in Nairobi on December 5–6, 2025. Featuring a prize pool of USD 10,000, the tournament showcased how far the sport has come and underscored its growing credibility.

At the centre of this transformation is Sirua Darts Group, a collective that has united some of Kenya’s finest players and administrators. Its ranks include trailblazers such as Peter Wachiuri, the first Kenyan to feature in the Modus Super Series; David Munyua, the first Kenyan to qualify for the PDC World Championships; Manpreet Kalsi, also a Modus Super Series competitor; and Aryan Khalsa, the first Kenyan to compete at the World Youth Masters.

Operating with little to no external funding, Sirua Darts has been instrumental in professionalising the sport and moving it beyond bar settings into proper darts arenas. These efforts have yielded significant milestones. Kenya has hosted high-level competitions such as the PDC World Championship Qualifiers—staged outside South Africa for the first time—as well as the African Continental Tour (ACT), the first professional darts competition ever held in the country, drawing elite players from across the continent.

The progress has been complemented by the Kenya Darts Association (KDA), which has played a key facilitative role, particularly in engaging the Ministry of Sports during critical processes such as visa applications for international competitions. While acknowledging the government support, the association has called for increased financial backing.

“We thank the government for creating a supportive atmosphere that has allowed darts to thrive, especially through quick assistance in securing visas for our professional players,” said KDA Chairman Wilson Githae. “However, monetary support remains a major challenge, and we hope the government can do more going forward.”

One of Sirua Darts’ most ambitious undertakings has been the conceptualisation of a professional darts league. The initiative has raised the sport’s profile and made it more appealing to sponsors and corporate partners. Like other mainstream sports, darts now has a platform where fans can follow teams, track player development, and identify favourites—an essential step in strengthening grassroots participation and establishing clear professional pathways.

Since its formation in 2022, Sirua Darts’ impact has extended to the next generation. The standout example is 14-year-old Aryan Khalsa, who represented Kenya at the World Darts Federation (WDF) World Youth Masters in Budapest, Hungary, in October 2025. In a dream debut, the unranked teenager defeated the 2024 JDC World Youth Champion, Lex Paeshuyse, before advancing to the quarter-finals—an extraordinary achievement that highlighted Kenya’s untapped potential.

As momentum builds, questions naturally arise: is this a fleeting moment, or the foundation for sustained success?

Sirua Darts Director Dann Karori believes it is only the beginning. He describes the current phase as a stepping stone towards national darts excellence, driven by an initiative dubbed “Darts for All.” The programme aims to create a unified framework for player development, performance tracking, and talent identification, particularly in rural areas where gifted players often go unnoticed.

“While we have been doing this for the last three years, we have only scratched the surface,” Karori said. “There are so many good players in Kenya, especially in rural areas, that we need to bring forward. Darts is a Kenyan sport just like athletics. With the right structure and access to opportunity, there are many more Munyua’s and Wachiuri’s waiting to be discovered. I wouldn’t be surprised if new names emerge in 2026—that’s how massive the potential is.”

Remarkably, these milestones have been achieved without direct government funding, relying instead on the commitment of the darts community and support from darts manufacturer Winmau.

Ultimately, Kenya’s recent darts success is a story of resilience, belief, and perseverance—a community that chose action over complaint and progress over pessimism. Against the odds, Sirua Darts Group has taken the bull by the horns, proving that with vision, structure, and consistency, Kenyan darts can compete on the world stage.