Kenya Rugby Union (KRU) chair Alexander 'Sasha' Mutai has appealed to the government to put more money towards the sport as it is doing for other disciplines.
Mutai says rugby 7s teams have proved they deserve more support by virtue of their superb performance at international competitions.
"I appeal to the government to put in more money into this team. Other sports are getting a lot more money than us and we are beating the best teams out there. Not just in Africa but also globally," the chair said.
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The men and women's 7s team have produced moments worthy of a highlight reel in 2025 courtesy of their performance in the World Series and the Challenger Series.
On their return to the top tier, Shujaa have punched above their weight, boasting a young but hungry group of players under the tutelage of Kevin 'Bling' Wambua.
They showed just why they are a team to be feared when they rollercoasted to the finals of the Singapore 7s on April 1-2, ultimately losing 21-12 to Fiji in the final.
On the other hand, their female counterparts -- Lionesses -- have been heads and shoulders above their opponents in the Challenger Series.
It all began with victory at the first leg of the series in Cape Town on March 1-2, outclassing Argentina 17-12 to lift their first trophy.
They followed it up with another gong in the second leg -- also in Cape Town -- where they beat the hosts 17-0 on March 8.
A third-place finish at the final leg in Krakow, Poland on April 7-8, a 27-19 win over Thailand, was the gloss over what has been a fine campaign for Dennis 'Ironman' Mwanja's side.
Both teams will be in action at the playoffs on May 3-4 in Los Angeles -- Shujaa fighting to maintain their World Series status as Lionesses seek a first-ever qualification to the same level.
Speaking to Shujaa, Mutai described them as the glue that keeps the Kenyan society together amidst a polarising political environment.
"Destiny is in your hands...we are very proud of your as well as the management team. You have made Africa proud. When they walk into the pitch they know they are going to win. There is something yo be learned from them, even for the older generation. This team is putting us together even with the polarised political environment." the chair said.
Mutai was speaking at the DoubleTree Hotel in Nairobi on Wednesday during a breakfast in honour of the team, courtesy of their title sponsor, Sportpesa.
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The team also received a bonus of Ksh 1.35m from Sportpesa, in lieu of their exploits in Singapore.
Speaking at the same time, the betting firm's CEO Ronald Karauri asked more sponsors to come on board and support Kenyan sports.
"As I keep saying, we need more sponsors on board to support this team and to support Kenyan sports. When we started this sponsorship, we looked like lone wolfs because Shujaa were not in the HSBC. However, we have worked with Shujaa before and we believed in them. We are very proud of them of how far they have come," Karauri said.
The team are training at the RFUEA Grounds in readiness for the battle in LA.
