COUNTDOWN: EQUITY WAITARA TROPHY A legacy built on golf and giving

17 september 2026

17-9-2026 

By Staff Writer 

For more than a decade, the Waitara Trophy has been giving golfers at TPDF Lugalo Golf Club more than just another reason to compete.

Established in 2011 in honour of club founder General (Rtd) George Waitara, the tournament has developed into one of Lugalo’s notable annual events, combining competitive golf, tradition and a powerful spirit of giving back to society.

As Lugalo approaches its 20th anniversary, the tournament’s history is filled with memorable winners and performances—but perhaps its most intriguing story is one that remains unresolved.

No golfer has won the Waitara Trophy back-to- back.

That unusual record has become one of the tournament’s biggest talking points, with every returning champion facing the same challenge: can they finally break the jinx?

The latest player hoping to do so is Dr Edmund Mndolwa, who won the 2025 edition with an impressive six-under-par net 66.

Playing off handicap 12, Mndolwa produced an outstanding performance over 18 holes to beat a strong field and claim the coveted trophy.

He now has the opportunity to make history when he returns for the 2026 edition.

But Mndolwa 66 nett is not the only remarkable score in the tournament’s history.

When the club celebrated its first decade, Juma Likuli, the 2016 champion, produced a six-under-par net 66 off handicap five. 

He was presented with the trophy by the late Judge Mark Bomani, then Patron of the Tanzania Golf Union (TGU) and one of the country’s prominent figures in golf. 

Boniphace Japhet, who won the tournament in 2023, also produced an impressive five-under-par net 67.

One of the most memorable performances, however, came in 2015 when George Nyakundi fired a remarkable seven-under-par net 65 to beat a field of more than 100 golfers.

Yet it was what Nyakundi did after winning that made his victory truly special.

Instead of simply taking the trophy and prizes home, Nyakundi returned the prize to Waitara and asked him to present it to an orphanage.

The gesture sparked a remarkable response from fellow Lugalo golfers, who contributed about Sh4 million. Together with the overall prize—a refrigerator—the money and gift were donated to Msimbazi Orphanage Centre in Dar es Salaam.

Waitara was moved by the gesture and applauded Nyakundi and the golfers for demonstrating that sport has a responsibility beyond competition.

“This is a historical event for the golf fraternity and the club. I want to thank Nyakundi and the other golfers who contributed their money,” Waitara was quoted saying.

He urged sports personalities to use their success and opportunities to support communities in need.

“Orphans, like any other children, need our support and love. Some of them could become tomorrow’s leaders, but they cannot fulfil their potential without support. As part of society, we also have a responsibility,” he said.

The initiative also attracted other golfers and friends of Lugalo, including Ambassador Charles Sanga, former Lugalo chairman the late Ernest Galinoma and Kain Mbaya.

Sister Sretienne, who received the donations on behalf of the orphanage, expressed gratitude to the golfers.

“We always thank those who come to help. We have children as young as three years old, and some were abandoned immediately after birth. They really need support and more love,” she said.

That moment helped give the Waitara Trophy a deeper meaning.

What began as a golf tournament in honour of a club founder became an occasion where golfers could compete, celebrate friendship and remember their responsibility to the wider community.

Past winners include Paul Uliwa (2011), Sudson Manatsa (2012), Neville Cory (2013), Kibuna Usitambe (2014), George Nyakundi (2015), Juma Likuli (2016), Isiaka Daudi (2018), Samuel Kileo (2019), Khalid Shemdolwa (2020), Joseph Tango (2021), Juma Likuli (2022), Boniphace Japhet (2023) and Dr Edmund Mdolwa (2025).

Now, as Lugalo prepares to celebrate two decades since its establishment, the Equity Waitara Trophy carries that history with it.

And with no player yet able to lift the trophy back-to-back, its next chapter promises another question: who will finally break the jinx?

EQUITY WAITARA TROPHY 2026