Kenya 7s players conceal brand message on jerseys

Kenya and Fiji team huddle before the game on day one of the HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series in Paris on 9th June, 2018. PHOTO | WORLD RUGBY |

What you need to know:

  • The team played with Brand Kenya’s “Make It Kenya” message in front of their jerseys concealed as they handed Fiji a stunning 22-19 defeat, moments after losing to New Zealand 24-5.
  • Kenyan players had played New Zealand in their opening match with the sponsor’s message still on their jerseys before covering the words in their second match against Fiji.

Kenya Sevens played two of their three group matches at Paris Sevens yesterday with the branding of their shirt sponsor, Brand Kenya, concealed.

Apparently the action was a protest against non-payment of Sh4 million to the players.

The team played with Brand Kenya’s “Make It Kenya” message in front of their jerseys concealed as they handed Fiji a stunning 22-19 defeat, moments after losing to New Zealand 24-5. Kenyan players had played New Zealand in their opening match with the sponsor’s message still on their jerseys before covering the words in their second match against Fiji.

However, the name of their other sponsors Bidco at the back of their jerseys remained visible. The moved drew a stern reaction from both the government at Kenya Rugby Union (KRU).

KRU chairman Richard Omwela warned that there will be consequences for people who incited Kenya Sevens players to conceal “Make It Kenya” from on their jerseys while Chief of Staff and Head of the Presidential Delivery Unit (PDU) Nzioka Waita said that the sports ministry must find out why the Union failed to release payments to Kenya Sevens team. 

“KRU should take notice that there is a new law in place regulating sports federations. We can’t allow this sort of embarrassment at the international stage,” said Waita on his Twitter handle.

They can’t let down our boys when they continue to promote our country so well,” said Waita on his twitter handle.

Omwela disclosed that Kenya Sevens were to be given a token of Sh 100,000 each that was Sh 4 million from the Brand Kenya deal. Omwela clarified that the Sh 20 million sponsorship from Brand Kenya also caters for other national teams too and not Kenya Sevens only.

Omwela said Brand Kenya had not remitted the money before the team left for the last two legs of the World Series in London and Paris. “We told Kenya Sevens that they will get their money as soon as they are back from Paris.”

Omwela said that besides the salaries the Kenya Sevens players and team management are getting, they were to get Shs 100,000 each as a token from the Brand Kenya deal.

“Why do Kenya Sevens assume that every money that comes in so for them when we also have Kenya Simbas, Kenya Lionesses and the youth teams?” posed Omwela.

“We shall demand to know who influenced the decision and who bought the stripes top conceal our sponsor’s logo,” warned Omwela. “This game is bigger than everybody.”

Omwela explained that the Brand Kenya deal that end at the end of this year shall cover Kenya Simbas preparations for the Africa Gold Cup-cum-World Cup qualifiers, the local Sevens Series and Safari Sevens.