Ministry of Sports has launched investigations into the issue behind Kenya Sevens Rugby team playing without the official ‘Make It Kenya’ branding on their jerseys at the Paris meeting last weekend.
The team commonly known as Shujaa is said to have blanked out the logos in front of their jerseys over an alleged pay dispute with Kenya Rugby Union (KRU) and the team sponsor, Brand Kenya.
Pursuant to these allegations, Sports Cabinet Secretary, Rashid Echesa said they had summoned KRU officials to shed light on the matter that caused a huge uproar on social media.
The CS said the issue of payment should not arise as the Ministry had released Sh80 million to the team before leaving the country.
“As far as we are concerned, we have fully funded the rugby team as well as other federations including, Football Kenya and Boxing,” said Echesa.
The CS said this while opening a four-day sports stakeholder’s workshop in Nyeri aimed at improving the sporting sector in the country to a level of making it a major contributor to the economy.
He continued that they had also summoned officials of Football Kenya Federation, with a view of getting to the bottom of bribery allegations facing referee, Aden Marwa who was set to officiate in the forthcoming World Cup tournament in Russia.
The CS warned that action would be taken against Marwa should the allegations be proven to be true. The referee has so far been kicked out of the officiating lineup.
Over the ugly face of doping that was fast thrusting the country into negative international limelight, the CS said the government was developing a curriculum on good sportsmanship.
He said the Anti-Doping Agency of Kenya (ADAK) was working closely with Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development (KICD) to develop the curriculum that will among other things, teach good sportsmanship to young sportspersons.
By Samuel Waititu
Investigations launched into Kenyan Sevens Rugby Team logo
