Former Kenya Sevens player and Rugby League official Lucas Onyango has teared into the Kenya Rugby Union and Sports Ministry officials after Kenya’s relegation from the World Seven Series was confirmed on Sunday.Shujaa’s 12-7 loss to Canada in the playoff final saw Kenya lose its core status for the first time in nearly 20 years, and now focus is on finding their way back to the World Series, a task that may not be easy if the status quo remains.##NAJAVA_MECA_7268643##Pundits observe that it was just a matter of time before Kenya went down, as the game has been in free-fall mode in recent years. Player welfare has been one of the main problems affecting the team, and the victimization of the outspoken players at some point saw some senior players locked out.A number of senior players have also opted out of the game in recent years. Former captain Andrew Amonde, Collins Injera, Willy Ambaka, and Oscar Dennis are some of the players who have opted out of the team or the game altogether in recent years.Kenya attained core status in the 2004/2005 season, and Onyango, who was among the first players to grace the World Series with Shujaa, did not have kind words for administrators.”This is one of the saddest days in Kenyan rugby history. Some of us were paid peanuts and expected to win trophies at a time when Kenyan rugby players were paid well before the people who came before them and pushed for player rights. We sit here trying to make all sorts of excuses, but truth be told, having jokers leading sports organizations and ministries got us here. This would not have happened if players and coaches were properly looked after,” read part of the tweet thread.On this day in 2021. The legend & the coach who won has our 1st and only world rugby 7s title Benjamin Ayimba left us. Today Kenya 7s has been relegated from the same series.Our world has fallen apart .Today am heartbroken💔💔We are sorry,Coach Benja#Shujaa#ripbenjaminayimba pic.twitter.com/4j5AWD3Dkf— Chris Migwambo (@CMigwambo) May 21, 2023 Onyango further chided KRU for overlooking local tacticians.”We are obsessed with foreigners leading our time but ready to invest in our local sons who showed they can lead. Seven years ago, Kenya conquered the sevens and had a blueprint for winning no matter what. What do the powers that be do then because they can’t control him (Ayimba)? They sack him and go back to the foreigners, and look where we are. Look at Argentina today smashing Fiji; we used to struggle together in the series, and as a player, I played many times against Santiago Gomez.”.Sunday was Benjamin Ayimba’s second-year death anniversary. The tactician led Kenya to its only world series win in Singapore in 2016, but his removal from the team was unceremonious.”Cora is coaching them and winning. He is a local coach and doing the business. This nonsense and excuses don’t wash with me because I was deep in the trenches representing my country. How ironic is it that on Benjamin Otieno Ayimba’s two-year anniversary since he left us, we get relegated? Look at the jokers running our country and institutions, and you think Kenya will ever achieve their full potential. “I am happy Sasha Mutai has taken over the reins and can finally sort this madness and put full-proof systems in place that will take us to the great heights we can reach”.A giant of the game left us on this day in 2021.Benjamin Ayimba.Always remembered #Shujaa#ripbenjaminayimba pic.twitter.com/ckoR1Tjp52— Shujaa (@KenyaSevens) May 21, 2023 KRU has yet to issue a statement after Kenya’s relegation was confirmed.”Benja You were my friend and teammate, and we talk a lot about our lovely game and country, but deep down, I am glad you were not here to see the team get relegated after all you put in and the many fights with idiots at the union. The systems let the team down, and this would not have happened if players and coaches were properly looked after”.Shujaa relegated after falling to Canada in playoff final##EDITORS_CHOICE##
