Lack of a sponsor and failure to attract top teams are reasons behind the cancellation of this year’s Safari sevens.
Highly-placed sources at Kenya Rugby Union confided with Nai Haps that the union could not raise the Sh80m budget as announced during the launch a fortnight ago.
The sources added that out of the 12 teams invited, only six confirmed their entry including Kenyan trio of Shujaa, Morans and Menengai Oilers alongside Uganda, Zimbabwe and Samurai.
The tournament was slated to run between October 14 and 16.
The three-day rugby extravaganza will have been ideal preparation for Shujaa ahead of the World seven series opener in Hong Kong between November 4-6.
This is the third time in five years that Africa’s premier Sevens tournament will not be played.
In 2017 the tournament was canceled due to the uncertainty in the prevailing political climate within the country due to the rerun of the Presidential election.
In 2020, the event was postponed upon the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic which ravaged the sports calendar in the country.
However, the tournament returned at the Nyayo Stadium with Shujaa edging out Germany 12-5 in the final.
Morans claimed bronze after disposing of Red Wailers 12-5 in the third-place play-off.
Kenya Lionesses thrashed Uganda’s Lady Cranes 26-0 to win the women’s contest.
In a statement, the union’s chief executive officer, Aggrey Wabulwenyi, disclosed on Wednesday that the new dates for the tournament that was set for October 14 to 16 at the RFUEA ground will be announced in due course.
“Kenya Rugby Union has come to a difficult decision to position the event occasioned by unavoidable circumstances,” said Wabulwenyi in communication to some of the teams that were due to grace the event.
Efforts to get a comment from Wabulwenyi or KRU chairman Oduor Gangla proved fruitless.
Rugby fans will now have to wait a little longer for action with Impala Floodlit slated to kick off on October 29 at the Impala Club.
