Why coach Habimana resigned from Nakuru RFC
Football
By
Ben Ahenda
| Apr 28, 2016
Top Fry Nakuru RFC head coach Dominique Habimana’s two-year reign at the club came to an end yesterday after he walked out on the former Kenya Cup League champions.
Habimana cited family pressure as the main reason for his exit, but sources indicated he was forced out due to the club’s recent poor results.
Habimana, who joined Nakuru RFC in 2014 from Kenya Harlequins, said;
“Family pressure coupled with lots of travelling to and from Nairobi (where my family stays) to Nakuru, has forced me to leave the club. I needed more time to be near my family.”
Habimana, a father of one, Pierre Habimana, 15, has lived in Nairobi with his family for 20 years.
Sources indicated the dip in form of Nakuru RFC, which is a fully sponsored side by Menengai Oil Refinery Limited (under the brand Top Fry) has forced the former Kenya Harlequins tactician out.
In his final assignment before handing over his resignation letter on Tuesday evening, Nakuru RFC were eliminated 16-15 by Kabras Sugar in the quarterfinals of the Kenya Cup League play-offs at Kakamega Showground over the weekend.
The sugarmen eliminated ‘Wanyore’ in the semifinal stage of the same tournament last year.
“His continued stay could have seen the team lose more titles or even continue to perform poorly in the Enterprise Cup,” said a senior club official, who sought anonymity.
“Coaches come and go, but the club will remain,” he said.
While paying tribute to the club, Habimana said;
“I don’t regret ever working with Nakuru. It has been a good time also to work with great players like Edwins Madu and Mike Okombe.”
Sources indicated that some players, fans and club officials, were not happy with Habimana’s performance, something that seems not to have gone down well with the coach.
Under his tenure, Habimana won the Kenya Cup League title once in 2014 and are the national Sevens Circuit champions.
For now, Habimana, who is also the national 15s rugby team assistant coach, has ruled out any club engagement until the end of the International Rugby Board season.
“I needed time to rest. For now, I would only engage in personal matters until the end of the international season,” he said.