CS Namwamba: I'll ensure Shujaa remain in HSBC World Sevens Series

Sports Cabinet Secretary (CS) Ababu Namwamba has assured the Kenya Rugby Sevens team of the government’s heavy investment, to ensure they remain in the HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series.     

Speaking in Madrid, Spain after witnessing the team qualify for the 2025 World Sevens Series, Namwamba was full of praised for Shujaa, and promised that the government will pump in more resources into ensuring they maintain their core status in the series.

“We are now among the top 12 rugby 7s nations in the whole world, that means a lot and as a government we are going to be fully supportive. Just like we’ve supported this journey (of returning to the HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series) to this moment of big success, we will support them henceforth with similar vigor and even higher commitment of resources,” assured Namwamba.

Namwamba, who was accompanied by Kenya Rugby Union Chairman Sasha Mutai, said the boys will be rewarded handsomely for their exploits, even as focus now shifts to preparations for the Olympic Games in Paris.

“We are going to reward them appropriately, and we want to prepare them properly. I’m glad we were able to prepare them very well for these play offs; trained in Miramas, France, got here in good time, all their allowances and everything was done in good time, and now we want to prepare them for the Olympics so they will be representing Kenya, they will be representing Africa at the Olympics in Paris; we want to make sure they are ready for the Olympics, we don’t go to the Olympics just to participate, we want them to go to the Olympics to compete for a podium finish,” said Namwamba.  

Namwamba’s sentiments were echoed by the KRU chairman Mutai, who said the team need to have a good outing in Paris to motivate them in the Sevens Series.

“One season down in the challenger series which is hard but I’m really excited, I don’t have the right words to say but really happy. Let’s now enjoy this week and then it’s back to work because we are focusing on getting an Olympic medal,” underscored Mutai.

Kenya Rugby Union 7s Director and athlete representative in the National Olympic Committee of Kenya (NOC-K) Humphrey Kayange noted the importance of Shujaa’s return to the World Series.

“The last three days we’ve seen Kenya come out and play brilliant 7s rugby as we know them, really happy for the boys and the fans. And the fans coming out here for the last two weekends in Munich and here (Madrid), you can see how much 7s means to all of us. I’ve been involved as part of the team and part of the 7s program and just seeing these young boys come to the platform and play the way they did with determination, with pride, with resilience and getting the odds and the results that we got this weekend is unbelievable,” said Kayange.

The team jetted back into the country on Tuesday, and will have a short break before resuming training for the Olympic Games in Paris, France.