Judo was introduced in Kenya in 1965 and was practised at the Nairobi Judo College in Nairobi, the capital of Kenya and Mombasa Judo College at the coastal old city of Mombasa. Samson joined the Nairobi Judo College when he came to Nairobi.

 

After 6 months training, Samson Lipuka felt disatisfied. So he joined karate, learning the shotokan style. By chance, he met a former schoolmate, Abel Mruttu who intimated that he was practising the Goju style under a Japanese Master.

 

Shotokan had been introduced in Kenya in 1969. Goju was introduced by the Japanese Master Yoshio Tamura, then 5th Dan Blackbelt in 1971. Since goju had a more qualified instructor, Lipuka opted to join the Goju school, which he did in 1975. By 1977, Lipuka was a mamber of the karate National team.

 

Still he was not satisfied. He had watched a lot of Chinese, Korean and Japanese martial arts movies. He practised many of the kicks he saw. But he could not use them in karate competition which was using the traditional  sparring styles. At times, he was disqualified for using full contact, which karate did not allow.

 

The change came when he met Master Lee Ki-jin, a korean master of the Jee do kwan school. Master Lee had visited and watched a number of karate competitions and had become friends with Lipuka. He therefore asked him to join him in his training and would train him in taekwondo.

 

So in 1976, Lipuka joined Master Lee, who was a 5th Dan Blackbelt. By joining Master Lee, Lipuka became the first man in East and Central Africa to learn taekwondo.

 

In 1978, another Korean Master, Master Mogg Yoon came to Kenya. This was to be a turning point for Lipuka. For the two years he had been training with Master Lee, he had done it parttime, combining it with karate. Whem Master Mogg came, Lipuka abandoned karate to concentrate in Taekwondo.

 

With the help of the two masters, Lipuka opened the first taekwondo club in Kenya, Undugu Taekwondo club. Then, joining with Master Lee, he started lessons at Kenya High School, a prestigeous girls' national school in Nairobi. This was to become the first institution in Kenya to offer taekwondo to it's students.

 

By this time, Lipuka was a broadcaster with the national broadcasting station in Kenya. This gave him an opportunity to talk about taekwondo both on radio and television. And soon he was in demand. He quickly opened clubs, at Kenya Science Teachers College, Nairobi School, Kenya Utalii College, City High School, and Moi Forces Academy. He also convinced many of his former karate colleagues to join taekwondo.

 

Undugu Taekwondo Club is based close to the Kenya Air Force Headquarters. So he also recruited members of the Air Force into his club. These were later to form the basis of taekwondo in the Armed Forces. Soon, the Police expressed interest in introducing taekwondo as part of it's training programme. As a result 14 members of Undugu Club were recruited into the Police Force. Today, the taekwondo training programme in the para-military wing of the Police, General Service Unit, is headed by Wicliffe Andove, Lipuka's former student.

 

Lipuka was the prime mover, and founder of Kenya Takwondo Association, which he registered in 1979. He was also the first local to referee in a taekwondo match. Lipuka is also the first Kenyan to have been appointed National Coach to the National team. In his debut as National Coach, he brought Kenya it's first ever gold medal in an international championships in 1987, concidently through a Undugu player. John Kariuki.

 

Kenya is host to many refugees and non-kenyans. Many of these non- Kenyans joined and still do, Lipuka's taekwondo classes. Lipuka has trained many non kenyans from, Uganda, Democratic Republic of Congo, Madagascar, Nigeria, Somalia, Ethiopia, Eritrea, Botswana, Malawi, Zimbabwe, Germany, Mexico, India and many others. Some of them, as is with Uganda, Tanzania and Botswana, have since gone back to their countries and established taekwondo clubs. He still maintains contact with them and regularly visits them to help them with their training programmes, and organising championships.

 

Lipuka continue to be in  demand, especially by the Armed Forces, Police and Security companies. He has also developed contacts with many senior company executives, who offer employment to many of his students. Many have gone to establish taekwondo clubs in these companies, contributing to the expension of taekwondo in Kenya and other countries.

 

Best example is Henry Bwire. A brilliant student in school, Lipuka recommended him to the Kenya Power and Lighting Company, where he establishe a taekwondo club. Today the club has taekwondo clubs in every major city in Kenya. Bwire who now works in the United Kingdom, went on to be a member of the National team and even became Secteraty-General of the Kenya Taekwondo Association before relocating to the UK.

 

Others have done just as well. Fredrick Wambua is now a citizen of the Unitd States of America.. After studying under Lipuka at Undugu, Wambua jioned the Kenya Air Force. On leaving the Air Force, he went to the USA for further studies. He now operates Wambua's Martial Arts Academy.

 

Lipuka has held virtually every position in taekwondo administration. He is highly regarded in East Africa and generally considered the father of taekwond in the region. Other than establishing the Kenya Taekwondo Association, he is credited as have assisted in the establishment of the Uganda Taekwondo Assocaition, Union of Taekwondo Tanzania, now renamed Tanzania Taekwondo Federation, Botswana Taekwondo Federation and was involved in the formation of the African Takeondo Union.

 

Lipuka has received training from some of the most respected masters. He has studied ander masters of the Joee do kwan school, jangdo kwan, Oh do kwan  and Moo do kwan. Apart from Karate and the short stink in Judo, he has studied hwarangdo, hapki do and the Chinese Hsing Hi.

 

Lipuka attended the 17th International Referees Seminar and has studied Olympism at the Internationa Olympic Academy in Olympia, Greece.

 

Samson Lipuka is currently coaching at anumber of taekwondo clubs in Kenya and offering technical advise to others. He coaches Nairobi Youth Centre, Undugu Taekwondo Club,  and Genesis Joy Taekwondo Club. He is also Tachnical Advisor to Tanzania, Uganda and Bostwana. Lipuka is also Chairman of Mombasa West Youth Sports Association, wich sponsors two taekwondo clubs, Changamwe and Chaani; clubs that Lipuka started in Mombasa.

 

In April 2007, Lipuka was approached to start an intiative to promote taekwondo in slums in Nairobi. He therefore started 'Better Life Through Taekwondo' of which he is President. He was also approached by UNESCO to help promote sports in these ares, for which he was made Secteraty-General.