Tourism CS Najib Balala Reinstates Brand Kenya Partnership With Shujaa 7's Rugby Team

Tourism Cabinet Secretary Najib Balala on Friday announced that he had reinstated the pact between Brand Kenya and rugby 7's national team Shujaa.

Balala explained that joint consultations with the Sports CS Rashid Achesa had convinced him to restore the Ksh20 Million deal.

"We called these people, talked with them and they have apologized.

"This was an embarrassing situation and whatever differences they have should be resolved locally," he stated.

[caption caption="CS Balala accompanied by former Kenya 7's skipper Andrew Amonde during a June 29, 2018 presser where the Ksh20 Million deal was reinstated"][/caption]

The CS, however, added that the deal would be renegotiated ahead of the San Fransisco, United States rugby World Cup set for July.

The tourism CS insisted that the jerseys to be worn by the team must be branded "Magical Kenya" at the front and not "Make it Kenya" as earlier agreed.

"The Tourism Ministry is committed to using rugby in the next three years to promote Kenya as a destination.

"We have made a decision that the brand that will be put in front of the jersey from today onward is Magical Kenya. We have observed that we are confusing the audience.

"Magical Kenya is promoting the destination. It has been accepted internationally that everything you do in Kenya is magical including our Shujaa team," he explained adding that the Ksh2.5 Million owed to the players had been fully settled.

Andrew Amonde, who represented players during the joint presser stated: "As players, we are very sorry for what happened. We are happy as a team for this and we now focus on what is ahead of us at the World Cup to do well at the World Cup."

[caption caption="Kenya rugby 7's team Shujaa,during a past match in Namibia"][/caption]