SH2.5m for sevens team

By BS Mulavi and Mutwiri Mutuota

The national Sevens rugby team was feted like kings by the Government led by President Kibaki where their remarkable achievements in the international circuit at the recently concluded season were celebrated.

The Government came out in a show of force to congratulate the team known as Shujaa at a luncheon held at Kenyatta International Conference Centre.

Speaker after speaker exalted its successes, notably coming third at the Rugby Sevens World Cup in Dubai and finishing sixth at International Rugby Board (IRB) Sevens Series circuit.

"The sevens team has done us all proud and as a government, we are proud to be associated with the squad who have shown such great commitment and determination to reach the heights they have achieved," said a jovial President Kibaki.

"We will continue to support the team by rehabilitating and taking care of sport facilities as well as establishing a state of the art international sport academy where specialised training can take place so that sports in the country can prosper," he added.

The president went on to urge the youth to take up sports as a career with his government factoring in this plan in the Vision 2030.

At the same function, Tourism Minister, Najib Balala, handed the Sh2.5m cheque Kenya Tourism Board pledged to the team.

"The team has opened new source markets in places such as New Zealand, Fiji, Australia, the Caribbean and Scotland. It has made Kenya be recognised as a country," Balala said.

Sports Minister, Helen Sambili echoed the president’s remarks and called for rugby to be spread to more schools in the country.

"The game was previously played in few school and elitist clubs but now there is access for many players and Kenya is threatening to surpass everybody," she noted.

At the function, the issue of transparency and accountability in management of sport was a recurrent theme, with the running of sevens team by Kenya Rugby Football Union (KRFU) pointed as a model example.

Stop wrangles

"Focus should be on the main goal not small things," Kibaki said in reference to wrangles affecting most sports federations.

Balala, a former Sports Minister, noted, "Sports federations should not be run like political parties. They should embrace professionalism, discipline and a business like approach."

Earlier KRFU chairman Richard Omwela threw down the gauntlet saying, "We have set the bar high for all associations. They should stop wrangles and play the sport like us."

Cabinet Ministers Samuel Poghisio (Information), Paul Otuoma (Fisheries), Mohammed Elmi (Arid) and Dr Mohammed Kuti (Livestock) were present at the function.

Assistant Ministers, Kabando wa Kabando (Sports and Youth Affairs) and Mohammed Ali (Special Programmes) were present.

Secretary to the Cabinet, Francis Muthaura, National Olympic Committee of Kenya chairman, Kipchoge Keino, legendary footballer, Joe Kadenge and heads of various sports federations also attended the function.

 

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