::. Peter Kiganya....from Kenya, USA, Uruguay, Chile and now ARGENTINA....He has left his mark!

Kiganya in action in the Argentine League

Peter Kiganya is one of the few Kenyans who have made it to the international basketball arena through hard work, commitment, and desire for the game of Basketball. From humble beginnings as a form three student at Eastleigh High School where he started playing basketball, Kiganya rose to represent the country with the national team in 1992 during the Africa Masculine Championships. For him, it didn't end with playing for the national team. After leading Mombasa based Kenya ports Authority KPA to five championships in the League, Kiganya moved to college basketball power house- Kenya Christian Industrial Training Institute KCITI in Nairobi , before proceeding to the United States . Kiganya got his first opportunity to go to America after becoming one of the two finalists in the choosing of a lead role for the movie, The Air up There . In the US , he played for Frank Phillips Junior College in the NJCAA, before joining Abilene Christian University in Texas , where he played in the NCAA Division two.

At Abilene is where Kiganya made a name for himself, with his defensive skill and strategic knowledge of the court giving him an upper hand over many players. His coaches then trained him into an offensive player, and by the time they were through with him, Kiganya was averaging 30 points a game. This earned him numerous awards including being named a co-MVP in the NCAA Div 2 Lone Star Conference, and two-time all American NCAA 4 th rebounder. True to his word of always yearning for more, and constantly challenging himself, he moved to Chile where he played professional basketball for Club Liceo Mixto in Los Andes town. At Chile , Kiganya maintained his game, maintaining PPG 27 and RPG 10, putting him among the top players in the league earning the Best foreign player award in 2002. He later moved to Uruguay and joined Club Athletico Newcome. Back home, other than KPA, Kiganya has played for Kimbo- East Africa Industries, and Sprite Stormers during the Eaglets Memorial basketball tournament.

Opinion on Kenyan Basketball
On Kenyan Basketball, Kiganya feels the game has really gone down, compared to back in the days. He attributes this to player's drive and motivation being very low. "People just play for the sake of playing" he says. He is quick to add that, contrary to how it was back then, where one got employed by virtue of being a player in the company's team, nowadays the jobs aren't there. The jobs were our motivation then. He acknowledges the effort put by private firms and individuals who constantly organize tournament like the Sports Aspirations, where cash prizes and gifts (caps, T-shirts, and certificates) are given as incentives. "That's exactly what we need to motivate the players, because clearly, we haven't reached that point of having professional basketball yet," he points out.

Personal Philosophy
"When you have to do something, do it well, not half heartedly, and always have a goal in life. Challenge yourself " and just some advise he shares with fellow players.." If you are thinking of playing pro basketball, do two things......go to the gym, and if you are under 6'6"....train on your jumpers" you'll need them.

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