Kenya 7s in Paris

2005-05-10T13:07:00.000-07:00

join us á paris...

2005-05-05T04:02:00.000-07:00

Design for T-shirts

2005-05-05T03:40:00.000-07:00

To request this flyer mail for forwarding your contacts, mail to:jamaabelgiji@yahoo.com

2005-03-05T02:57:00.000-08:00

Jet Li pia hucheza

2005-03-05T02:40:00.000-08:00

Simba enjoying the game

2005-03-04T14:27:00.000-08:00

King's and Dijanne getting down

2005-02-06T02:48:00.000-08:00

Roy Kinikinilau of New Zealand makes a break against Kenya

Kenya stars snatch Bowl at IRB show

Story by THE PUNTER
Publication Date: 02/06/2005
Benjamin Ayimba scored a try in extra time as Kenya upstaged Tonga 17-12 to win the Bowl at the third leg of the International Rugby Board Sevens Series in Wellington, New Zealand. The win secured Kenya two valuable points in the IRB Series ahead of the fourth leg in Los Angeles next weekend. Kenya are now ninth in the IRB Series with six points. In the Bowl quarter finals, Kenya powered past Niue 24-7 and France 12-7.

2005-01-19T14:17:00.000-08:00

Githinji back to wave his wand
19 JANUARY 2004
Kenya head coach Bill Githinji returns to the squad's touring party after not travelling to Dubai and George in December, and he returns with a bang.
Despite a pick-up in form in George after a disappointing start to the season, vice captain for the first two events Bill Odongo is one of six players dropped, with two new names coming in.
The squad leaves Kenya on 30 January for the two-week tour that will see them take on hosts and defending champions New Zealand, Fiji and USA in Wellington, and Argentina, France and Mexico in Los Angeles a week later.

2005-01-17T12:48:00.000-08:00

niaje?... we kamu Paris, si ukamu tu?

An Overview of rugby in Kenya

2005-01-16T10:28:00.000-08:00

When Kenya beat the Aussies...

Rugby is among Kenya's three most popular sports. The others being Football and Basketball. The game has seen a sharp increase in its popularity over the last decade or so.
The Kenya Rugby Football Union (KRFU) is the sports governing body in Kenya. It organizes several annual tournaments for local club teams such the Kenya cup, Eric Shirley shield , Enterprise cup as well as a local sevens circuit. Also it organizes the Safari sevens which attracts participating teams from across Europe and Africa.
The Kenya Cup pits Kenya's top teams , among them Impala, Mwamba, Harlequins, Nondescripts , Meam Machine, Nakuru RFC , Mombasa Sports club and Ulinzi. The Eric Shirley shield is contested by second tier teams. The Enterprise cup is played on a Knockout basis and is contested by teams from all over the country and a couple from Uganda. Several one days tornaments are organized by individual clubs. These include The Impala floodlit tournament which has more of a party atmosphere than a Rugby atmosphere. Other tournaments include the Rift Valley ten a side tournament hosted by Nakuru RFC and Driftwood sevens hosted by Mombasa Sports club.
Kenya like other third world countries continues to lag light years behind the top Rugby playing Nations. This is mainly due to lack of a professional league in the country and due to the fact that rugby unlike other popular sports like Football(soccer) and basketball , involves a myriad of technical intricacies which countries like Kenya are yet to master. The advent of professionalism in the game has widened the gap between Nations like Kenya and the advanced Nations such as England. Lack of a professional league means that the top Kenyan players can only play part time while training only 2 hours a day. It also means that several of the countries' most talented players quit playing early either immediately after high school or in their early twenties, due to lack of incentive. Indeed the average age of Kenya's national team is around 23/24 years.
Kenya is however more adept at playing the sevens version of the game. They have shown this at several international tournaments such as the Dubai sevens and the commonwealth games.

Kenya's 1999 sevens team

Mwamba RFC was formed in 1978 as kenya's first independent team for indigenous Kenyan's. The teams all black strip was deliberately selected to counter the all white strip worn by Nondescripts RFC. Mwamba soon became Kenya's most popular team and soon a rivalry developed between Nondies and Mwamba. Mwamba was instrumental in the growth of the game in Kenya. It formed the backbone of Kenya's national team , among them Jimmy Owino, Arthur Kibisu, Andy Mwenesi , Pete Belsoi ,Chris Onsotti and speedster Pritt Nyandatt. As Kenya's economic fortunes took a turn for the worst in the late 80s, so did the fortunes of Mwamba. Being a self supporting team , they were unable to keep their best players many of whom left to seek greener pastures at institutional teams such as Stanchart RFC and Barclays RFC.

Mean Machine RFC which represents the University of Nairobi is arguably the most popular club team especially among the youth. It is Kenya's richest rugby mine having produced several of Kenya's best players. The list includes Absalom Mutere , Joe Masiga , Dave Sakari , Rowland Odipo,Martin Ndeda, the legendary Edward Rombo and more recently the likes of Paul Murunga Sammy Khakame ,Shaka Kwatch and Steve Gichuki. Rombo along with Jimmy Owino who played for Mwamba in the early 80s are probably Kenya's greatest ever players.
Mean Machine face off with Mwamba in a Kenya cup match.
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Impala RFC is one of the Countries recent success stories. It has risen from the ashes of obscurity o the forefront of kenya's rugby thanks to an influx of several talented players including Oscar Osir, Benjamin Ayimba , Mitchell Ocholla , Nick Olewe and Kevin Okwatch.
Impala lock Steve Obondi runs in to support Vincent Makanga as they take on Nondies in a Kenya cup match.
The KRFU has taken bold steps to raise the standards of the game in the country. This includes participation in the world sevens circuit and the introduction of a sevens circuit from which the best players are selected to represent the country at the world circuit. A youth under 21 circuit has been introduced at which clubs field their respective under 21 teams.

How world's oldest pupil saved his headteacher's job

2005-01-14T10:56:00.000-08:00

Oldest pupil in uniform

Story by JEFF OTIENO
Publication Date: 1/11/2005

The man believed to be the world's oldest primary school pupil nearly became the world's oldest dropout, after education chiefs transferred his headteacher to another school.

Mr Kimani Ng'ang'a Maruge – he's 84 – actually walked out of school and threatened to quit unless they sent his headteacher back.

Last night education chiefs relented and decided Ms Jane Obinchu could go back to Kapkenduiywo primary, near Eldoret, after all.

Earlier, Mr Maruge had vowed not to return to class until Ms Obinchu was allowed back too – or the Government agreed to drive him free of charge to and from what was to have been her new school, at Ilula, 12 kilometres away.

He visited Nation's Eldoret office and narrated his planned move.

Still in his uniform of blue blazer, blue shirt, blue tie and a pair of blue shorts, he said "I want to know why they are transferring her; she has been so good to me ever since I joined the school."

He said school had not been the same since the decision was made to move Ms Obinchu.

"She gives me tea when I have not taken breakfast and also gives me permission to tend my sheep," said Mr Maruge.

Accompanied by an official of the Kenya National Association of Parents, Mr David Nyambane, he added that she also gave him breakfast, lunch and even supper, "most of the time".

Mr Maruge, a former freedom fighter, complained he was now only being taught Kiswahili and not English.

"I want to speak all the languages – Kiswahili, English and Kikuyu – but they are only teaching me Kiswahili," he said.

He continued: "She used to pay for my computer lessons; now I don't go for computers any more."

He added his former head also used to read and help him reply all his e-mail from friends abroad.

Mr Maruge, a senior prefect about to move to Standard Two, showed the Nation copies of his first, second and third term report cards in which he had scored As and Bs in subjects including English, Kiswahili, maths and religious education.

Ms Obinchu had herself protested at the planned move, telling education chiefs: "I have not complained or asked for a transfer from my current station. I have projects which I have started and wish to see completed."

Last night deputy municipal education officer John Mutia confirmed the transfer had been stopped in its tracks by the Director of Basic Education, Ms Mary Njoroge.

He added: "The changes will not occur and Mr Obinchu will continue to be headmistress of Kapkenduiywo primary school."