Sports in Kenya – First Quarter 2016 - The Good, The Bad and The Ugly

The first quarter of 2016 is already up, funny how time flies when we’re having fun…but is Kenyan sport really have that much fun? January – March there have been a number of positives to cheer up our common good as a nation (though David Ndii doesn’t quite believe in this….). The same period has also seen a number of disappointing results, pronouncements or lack thereof. Let’s get this started;

Good

• FKF Elections – a new Board of management is running Kenya’s biggest sport, football. After a number of false starts, it was the youthful Nick Mwendwa who won the day. His base, christened #TeamChange also scooped a number of strategic positions including the Vice President – giving Kenya her first female top football official.

Kenya's Oscar Ouma against New Zealand's Bonny Williams - courtesy of FoxSports.com 

• Kenya 7s – 2016 started well for the 7s team. In March, victories against strong nations like New Zealand and Argentina at the Las Vegas 7s showing intent into the team’s aspirations of finishing in the top 6 of the IRB 7s log. One of the highlights was one Collins Injera clocking his 220^th try and now chasing the top try scorer’s position being the only top 3 7s players with a shot at it. 

• Kenya’s athletic prowess – world half-marathoners (both men and women ) and continental cross-country champions is what we are! The two teams scored big victories both at individual and team levels colleting top honours and firmly setting the pace as the world prepares for an Olympic year. Hongera wanariadha wetu!

•  Motoring whiz – Tejas Hirani – if you don’t know that name, then you don’t know the young genius of a motorsport driver in the country who’s making it big on the icy and speedy trails in Europe. And as he says on his link this is “a champion in the making”…enough said! 

• Sponsorships – the betting companies have been placing their money where mouths are by signing sponsorship deals with the Kenya Premier League, top teams in the KPL including AFC Leopards, Gor Mahia among others. Other corporates have restored some of their sponsorships including Kenya Airways, Safaricom who put investments in the rugby sport. Golfing enthusiasts got their annual swings thanks to a raft of sponsorship deals – including Barclays Bank, MultiChoice, TransCentury among others.

  

  Flying Tejas - Kenya's motor-rallying Tejas Hirani -  courtesy of www.tejashirani.com 

Bad

• Anti-Doping Bill – if ever there was a time our MPs were needed to legislate on a Bill before its signed into law, it’s now. But what do our ‘honourable men and women decide? Blow whistles while others were busy cheering on the Presidency before going on recess. Now Kenya stares at missing major athletics events including the 2016 Rio Games…

• Football politics – it didn’t take long for the game to be back in mucky waters – from the national coach appointment, to the circus that was the national team selection and ultimately 2 defeats for the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers. It has also been an unsteady start to the Kenya Premier League as teams seek to secure sponsorships, with officials busy scheming how to keep the monies deeper and for long than pay deserving players and coaches. I mean why did Gor Mahia insist on reducing former manager’s pay before he decided to jump ship?

Ugly

• AFCON  2017 Qualifications - Kenya’s (placed 103 on FIFA  world ranking loss to Guinea Bissau – over 40 places at 147 below Kenya  and we couldn’t muster a single goal. The second game inNairobi ended in a loss of 0-1 though the match was disrupted for 30 min as Kenyan players disagreed with referee’s decision to award a goal. In the meantime, the team and the venue Nyayo National Stadium faces severe penalties and likely suspension for the indiscipline.

• Kenya’s Volleyball queens loss to Egypt in Rio Games direct qualifications - the team looked destined to book a direct ticket to Rio in August but the Kenya Volleyball Federation officials and team management had other ideas. First the change in personnel bringing in less experienced players was bound to backfire. Secondly the team's preparations were haphazard and the technical aspects not well covered. The only reprieve is that there is one more round of qualifiers to be played next month in San Juan, Puerto Rico. 

Can Kenya Rugby 7s sustain the tempo, Mr. Friday?

The 2012-13 HSBC-sponsored IRB Sevens series has started with oomph for the Kenyan team. Last season, the team finished 12th ( last for the initial 12 -core teams) and risked being dropped from the 'core teams' status ( core teams are guaranteed of participation to all tournaments within a given season). Starting this season, IRB has introduced a new set of rules which shall see teams promoted and relegated depending on their final ranking at the end of the season. The series also saw expansion of the initial core teams from 12 to 15.
Back to the Kenyan game, in the off-season, Britain's former rugby player and coach, Mike Friday was hired to bring back some technical expertise and polish the Kenyan game known for its pace and brashness. After missing out on the Safari Sevens shield it seemed like it was 2011-12 season all over again but the last 2 rounds of the series have proved otherwise. So far the team lies joint 2nd overall (with Fiji) with a total amass of 32 points.

South Africa beckons 

The three Kenya 7s Rugby shirts by Samurai Sportswear -
Image courtesy of Samurai Sports

The last event of the series this calendar year in South Africa shall represent a new set of challenge for Mike Friday's charges. First the absence of top try scorer Collins Injera along with experienced hands Biko Adema and Oscar Ouma is bound to be felt. Sydney Ashioya is also out with a hamstring injury. A temporary reprieve is the availability of Humphrey Kayange ( Injera's older brother) who shall be featuring for the national team colours for the first time this season. Call-ups to replace the former include; Billy Odhiambo, Fabian Olando and Oscar Ayondi.

Second, the team has already been seen to be a strong contender for the top 6 finishers and other teams have taken notice. This being the 3rd round you can expect a couple of tactical changes from those teams that have previously looked like walkovers. Though the pool looks favourable with Argentina and Wales being the main threats to clip Kenya's qualification to the Main Cup proper, the battle shall be from the Quarter and Semi-Finals respectively. The Kenyan team has been coming off too close in the finishing and decisive tackles. The conversion kicks have been off the mark especially in the Dubai series. The try-scoring

Third, the South African round is only the third in a 10-tournament series. Can the Kenyan team go the whole hog and sustain these sterling performances? It's been a good thing going but a dip in form might happen anywhere between the Christmas break ( January 2013) and the second one in April 2013. If the boys and technical team keep it together, we've got a good thing going. In any case, if Kenya can gun for a top 6 finish in any of the tournament's that translates to 12 points in the bag.
Points Awarded:
Top 6 finishers in each tournament are awarded points as follows;

• Cup Winners (1st) -22 points, 
• Cup Losers (2nd) -19 points, 
• Cup 3rd-place playoff winner (3rd) -17 points, 
• Cup 3rd-place playoff/loser (4th) - 15 points, 
• Plate Winner (5th) - 13 points, 
• Plate Runner-Ups (6th) - 12 points

Fourth, there was some change in the kit from Gilbey's to the Samurai shirts starting with the Dubai series. This though not a major concern ought to be addressed and finalised by Kenya Rugby Union officials. Shirt sponsorship should ensure that the team has unique identity and also serve to motivate them to improve their performance. There is also the added incentive of monetary amounts if well negotiated. Such details ought to be out in the public domain and not behind boardroom doors.

Fifth, there has been the remuneration and bonuses awarded by the team sponsors' Kenya Airways and also for finishing in the top 4. These monies should be paid as and when available to continually motivate the boys in the team. Donning national colours is a great honour but in this time and age, that honour has a price too. Being a semi-professional team aspiring to become fully professional in the next half-decade, substantive contracts with clear remuneration packages should be in every player's pocket.

Sixth rugby sevens will be premiering in the 2016 Olympic Games in Brazil. Kenya is one of the likely qualifiers from Africa and should ensure it sends the best team to the Games. Though its early days for that, the building blocks start now since over half the team might not be in the running for a place by then. This goes back to the Kenya Rugby Union officials. Ensure wider reach of the game, rigorous recruitment by the clubs, regular technical and development skills to the retiring players and practising coaches, additional investment through sponsorships and grants from relevant corporate bodies and sports bodies among others.

Finally, the same gusto that has been invested in the 7s game should be translated to the 15s game which is still tottering in Kenya. Remember rugby aficionados believe that a country's worth is known by its 15-a-side strength and depth. Are we working on this?

To Mr.Friday and the Kenyan team, Ngikufisela Inhlanhla in Port Elizabeth !