Tourism Cabinet Secretary Najib Balala on Thursday announced that the ministry had canceled the Ksh20 million sponsorship to the national rugby sevens team.
In a statement, the CS maintained the team had embarrassed the country by blocking the ‘Make it Kenya’ brand during the Paris leg of the World Sevens Series.
This comes less than a fortnight after the sponsorship deal which involved the Kenya Rugby Union and Brand Kenya was signed and unveiled.
A row erupted between Brand Kenya and the Kenya Rugby Union (KRU) after players taped out the ‘Make it Kenya’ Brand during the Paris 7s in protest over lack of payment.
[caption caption="Kenya Rugby 7s team"]
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However, the sponsors stated they had remitted the money to the Union hence meeting their obligations and KRU confirmed receiving Ksh4 million from Brand Kenya.
“This has gone into funding more priority needs of the team such as player allowances for the London and Paris legs, Accommodation and Airfare for the extra management carried on the tour and outstanding training allowances,” a statement from the Union read.
“What is due to the players is Sh2.5mn which will be paid as soon as additional installments or money from other sources is received by KRU,” the statement added.
In another statement, the Rugby Union maintained it was working to resolve the issue with its sponsors.
However, CS Balala's statement on Thursday in Mombasa during the Kenya Association of Hotelkeepers and Caterers Symposium put the Union's plan in jeopardy.
[caption caption="Kenya rugby team"]
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Notably, the announcement by CS Balala brought the Union into another financial crisis with the team set to compete at next month’s Rugby 7s World Cup in San Francisco, United States.
