Rugby blood runs deep in their families: Family members that dot rugby scene

Humphrey Khayange, the first born, made his third appearance at the Commonwealth Games while winger Collins Injera, the immediate younger sibling made a second stab at the games and guided Michael Agevi, their youngest sibling, in the Commonwealth Games.

Dr Injera, a medical laboratory scientist at Moi University’s School of Medicine, based at Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital (MTRH) in Eldoret was keen to prepare a perfect winning regimen for his three sons, whom all turned up for rugby Sevens side. Dr Emonyi has a cause to brag albeit good-naturedly.

“We have nothing special in the family. It is simply the interest and passion for the sport,” he says. Humphrey is the first born, Collins is third born and Michael is last born. Born in 1982, Khayange attended Nairobi’s St Joseph’s Kagethe Academy for primary school education before proceeding to Save Our Souls (SOS) Primary School in Eldoret.

He joined St Peters High School in Mumias for secondary school education and attended Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT), where his rugby began to radiate.

It was simply by default over the university boredom –and his unbridled love for the sport grew in leaps and bounds. Running the shows as the national team captain and Kenya’s fastest man to touch ground, Injera shrugged taunts over young age. His moves are simply record breaking.

He was born in 1986 and is a communications and public relations graduate from Daystar University.

“I simply thought my sons would take up football like me. I played football while in primary given I used to see Humphrey and Collins play a little of football in estates of Nairobi. I never imagined they will become national and international players as they are,” Emonyi said.

Khayange said there is great interest for rugby in their family. “Our mum calls us and encourages us to soldier on. Our dad never sleeps when we are competing in matches staged at night,” he said in a past interview.

Collins, on his part, said the three of them differ in lifestyle. “We don’t hang out together and we even have different tastes in music.”

Michael Agevei said he gets inspired while passing the ball to his elder siblings.

Local rugby clubs have siblings, too. Michael Wanjala plays with his young brother Peter Wanjala. Michael will always be the man to do all the conversions. Peter turns up for Menengai Oilers in Nakuru.

Another set of siblings are the Muhanji brothers Dennis and Johnston. Dennis turns up for Kenya Harlequins while his young brother Johnston plays for Kabras Sugar where he guided his side to lift the Sepetuka Sevens title in Eldoret last year.

Dennis and Johnston play in the 15’s and Sevens national teams respectively. But Osinde Wamusamia, their father, sits on the terraces to watch his sons tackle each other.

Wamusana, is a former football player for Mvuke FC while his wife Penina Tallam was a national volleyball player.

“I normally watch all games that my sons take part. As a father, I feel good and comfortable especially when the two knock each other. Even if they knock each other, it’s a sport and I don’t feel any pain or bias,” he says. “When they play, it’s like an army on the war front. You don’t care who is in front of you as much as you are protecting your country.”

Dennis and Johnston used to play for Harlequins before the latter joined Kabras. Wamusamia defends his sons’ decision to pick up rugby unlike football or volleyball like their parents.

“As parents, we don’t have to choose for our children’s what sport they should involve in,” he said.

Rugby is first and foremost, a state of mind, a spirit. But for these and many other families, the sport has crossed this lines to become something held together by bloodlines.