KWAMBO: Makaka was an affable character but lightning quick on the pitch

Michael Kwambo

The death of Allan Makaka, a former Kenya Sevens international who perished in a grisly road accident early Saturday hit me hard.

I’ve known Makaka for long. We duelled numerous times, during my time at Impala and KCB RFC while he played for Ulinzi and later on Kenya Harlequins.

‘Makaktuis’, as we fondly called him was lightning quick on the pitch, difficult to defend when in possession and in space, especially in the sevens version of the game where he often left his opponents, us included, for dead. No surprise that Fijian legend Waisale Serevi said he is one of the quickest players he had ever seen.

His competitive, confident spirit added a lot more spark to the games he featured, always eager to move forward and score…his opponents out to keep him from doing exactly that.

His talent, which was evident from his school days at Musingu High later, earned him his Shujaa bow.

He went on to make a total of 57 appearances on the Sevens World Series, managing 28 tries and is ranked 21st overall amongst Kenya’s all time try scorers on the World Series, thanks to the searing pace.

Off the pitch he was an affable character…a great personality to be around, ever smiling. A top top man!

The news of his death is indeed saddening and we will always treasure his contribution to the game. May his soul rest in peace.

Dennis Mwanja, Assist Head Coach, KCB RFC

Makaka is well-known to me because we were with him at Musingu High School. We would go for rugby training daily, and I’m the one who actually introduced him to club rugby.

In the 2003/2004 season we played the National Circuit together. In terms of character he was straight shooting. He was unfiltered and would call a spade a spade. I admired his honesty and he never kept grudges. A very hardworking and focussed character he was.

Mike Kwambo is a former Kenya U21, Impala and KCB RFC winger