Omwela fires back at Shujaa stars in contract standoff

The Kenya Rugby Union chairman Richard Omwela says select Shujaa players who have rejected deals offered to them ought to carry a share of the blame for the current contract standoff.

In a defiant response to the boycott staged by seasoned Shujaa stars after their contracts were downgraded, Omwela said the said individuals are part of the group that conspired to block ‘Make It Kenya’ logos during last year’s infamous Paris protest.

Brand Kenya consequently terminated its contract with the KRU, leaving multinational oil refineries company Bidco Ltd as the governing body’s sole main sponsor.

“If you recall the same happened in Paris last season when they removed the sponsor’s logos in their jerseys, so where is the money going to come from to pay them when they’re the ones influencing the other players to boycott.”

He added that the situation is becoming more complicated because those players on one heart they don’t want the sponsor to get the exposure and on the other heart they want more money.

Citizen Digital understands that KRU has reduced their last year’s contract by KSh70, 000 offering the senior players Ksh65, 000 and the junior player’s Ksh50, 000 gross monthly salaries.

Winger Collins Injera, Dennis Ombachi, Nelson Oyoo, flanker Andrew Amonde, centre Willy Ambaka, Billy Odhiambo, full back Sammy Oliech, and lock Dan Sikuta have not played this season.

Eden Agero, who captained Shujaa during their opening two rounds of the HSBC World Sevens Series season, has also not reported back to training.

Omwela believes it’s all about the sponsorship and the player’s attitude.

“If you are playing with sponsored jersey you can’t go to a tournament and remove the logo because removing it will mean that the sponsor won’t get the exposure and when there is lack of exposure then the sponsor won’t give money for the game.”

Omwela added that as for now they will go to the next outings with the players that have signed the new contracts.

“We can’t have a situation where you’re are lagged  behind by some players, if they feel they can’t play for the country we will have other players who are willing to play, so we will not be held around we will just go; we might be beaten but we’ll participate.”

Shujaa prepare for the Hamilton Sevens in New Zealand to be played between January 26 and 27, 2019.