Passion and flare: Meet Monica Kahura, certified shooter in a man’s world

Monica’s confidence as a shooter stands out in a world more commonly dominated by men. Her knowledge and passion for shooting is palpable. She not only practices the sport at Kirigiti Public Shooting Range, Kiambu, where our team chatted with her, but she is also a member of Kenya’s International Defence Pistol Association (IDPA).

Monica: My name is Monica Kahura. I work here as the course administrator. I’m also a shooter and a certified safety officer.

Eve: What drew you to this sport?

Monica: I started shooting quite early. I was brought up on a ranch where I used to shoot.

Eve: What do you enjoy most about shooting?

Monica: Winning is nice. And just trying to be really good at it. It’s an amazing sport. I have a passion for it so it’s not just about shooting.

Eve: What’s it like for a woman, like you, to take part in this sport, especially knowing its scope, and more so in Kenya since it’s not very common among ladies?

Monica: To start with, it’s quite an expensive sport. And being a woman, there’s so much competition from the men. The competition accommodates women and men so beating them is a challenge. But I’ve managed to beat some and take some trophies home.

Eve: What are some of the challenges that come with this sport?

Monica: You have to have money for training, time to train, and then actually taking part in the competition afterwards. Getting the fundamentals into your muscles and memory, remembering everything you are taught is also a challenge. It’s not that you shoot today and you’re an expert. No, it takes time and that time you really have to sacrifice.

Eve: And what would you tell other women out there especially who probably have an inclination to this sport?

Monica: I would encourage them. We need more competition from the women. We don’t know who is more talented. Just come to the range, have fun, shoot and enjoy it.