Dave Sakari: A rare talent rests

Dave Sakari, the rugby union international gifted with pure technical skill, bravery and remarkable friendliness, will be remembered by his national team mates and club colleagues at University of Nairobi’s “Mean Machine”, Mwamba and Nakuru as God’s blessing they all shared for a long time.

After he was done with the game on the pitch, the quiet, unassuming but ever smiling medical man of few words set up his practice in downtown Nairobi. Until diagnosed with cancer a year ago and sadly passing away on January 13, 2019.

Like a vintage doctor, he conducted his career like he did rugby — team-player. His focus was the welfare of the common wananchi; he worked with and for them all his professional life.

He was laid to rest on Saturday, January 19, at his family home in Lugulu, Bungoma County, survived by a father, wife Christine and three daughters.

There will be, perhaps scores and probably hundreds — who can count themselves as lucky to have been Dave’s friend through rugby— that may not have received the news of his demise. That’s how he was.

A life totally quiet off the pitch. It is those he played with, those on the rugby ground terraces that his game entertained and those he worked with and for, that always discussed the unflagging quality of his play and his devotion to team and club mates and to his clients as a physician.

In Kenya’s rugby history, more so in the post-independence era when the playing roster transited from settlers and expatriates to home grown, Dave sat atop a small number that learnt the fundamentals of the sport at very young age.

His father Nathan Wekesa Sakari was a senior human resource manager based in Limuru, so Dave attended the upmarket Tigoni Primary where rugby was on the docket of a wide extra-curriculum.

When he joined Alliance High School where rugby was not the premier game, he had a lot to bring into the institution.

And no wonder, for the very first time, Alliance was able to wrestle from the hence dominant Nairobi School, Lenana School and Rift Valley Academy, the prestigious schools’ short rugby tournament — the John Andrews Memorial Sevens — in 1979, the team captained by a future great international full back Kenya coach Michael ‘Tank’ Otieno.

It was after joining UoN that Dave’s very lofty knowledge of the game, being articulate and possessing a great work ethic would for long time be the number one choice at No. 7 (open-side flanker) at Mean Machine, and later Mwamba, Nakuru and the Kenya national rugby team.

He was not a big man in comparison with peer back rowers of the day — Mean Machine teammates Ahuga Mwenesi, Peter Odhiambo and Max “Mad” Muniafu of Barclays Bank Rugby — but Dave was as hard as nails.

Many Kenyans will recollect how each time he was on the field he put on a performance that draws comparison to the star players of the world.

Richie McCaw, regarded New Zealand’s greatest player of the professional age, played same position as Dave Sakari and there are many Kenyans who think we had a McCaw.

For all his teams, Dave was a major architect of sustained dominance in loose forward play.

He had a sound defence; first in when the first line of defence was breached. In offense he was in support on either shoulder.

He was lethal at breakdown play and had Spartan work ethic. He inspired his teammates to tap unknown reservoirs of effort and talent. And Dave, like McCaw had longevity in the game.

During UoN’s long medical course (6-7 years then) his teammates from other faculties would graduate in three years. In his last couple of years at medical school, with two other mates who would become doctors like him and travel the same journey in club and international rugby — Elijah Muriithi and Omondi Magunga — would faithfully jog or walk from Kenyatta National Hospital down to Nairobi Railway Club for Mwamba training and home matches.

The trio were in fact integral part of the Kenya first 15s team then.

They would, coincidentally, be posted to Nakuru on graduation. They would find Nakuru Rugby Football Club having just been re-launched after near collapse after its colonial era glory.

The first men on the Nakuru revival frontiers were almost entirely Mwamba immigrants to Nakuru who rallied a few locals who had previous stints of the game elsewhere.

The group had found firm support at Nakuru Athletic Club from legendary colonials Peter Prinsloo and Andy Yakas who were thrilled to rekindle the game.

Nakuru had seen some development when the God-send of Sakari-Muriithi-Magunga arrived.

Immersed in hospital work, Dave and his doctor buddies still found dedication to Nakuru rugby and really raised its bar, the basis of its latter day greatness.

After serving in the Rift Valley, and getting a re-post to Nairobi it is these men, his early Nakuru teammates, who will feature in a chapter on Dave’s rugby book: Mitu Kainga, Dave Omany, Larry Okinyo, Owiti Owuor, Coutts Otolo, Ham Onsando, Shamoum Azsad, Jotham Owili, Ben Owili, Ken Karungu, Tom Karungu, Jim O’toole, Andy Ramshaw, Reuben Ambicha, Patrick Otwera, David Akelola, Caleb Mwendwa, Elijah Mulwa, Jeremy Corter, David Waiganjo, Omari Nyakundi, Elijah Muriithi, Omondi Magunga, Peter Prinsloo, Andy Yakas, Johnny Yakas, Pete Belsoi …..

For all his teams, Dave was universally admired and respected. Statistical collection may be difficult to dig up but he was phenomenal, a rare talent on the pitch, a giant of the game, an astute leader by example.

Socially off the pitch he was bright, articulate and inspirational. A rare gem of a man.

Fare thee well!

Mwangi Muthee was Dave Sakari’s UoN ‘Mean Machine’ and Mwamba teammate.