The Kenya women’s sevens team, the Lionesses, finally departed the country on the afternoon of Wednesday, November 30, for the Dubai Sevens International Invitational tournament.
The team led by head coach Dennis Mwanja was seen off at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport by Sports Cabinet Secretary Ababu Namwamba.
The Lionesses will battle Tunisia, South Africa, and France Women Development in the two-day competition.
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“I have this afternoon seen off the Kenya national women's rugby team who travel to Dubai for the International Invitational tournament. The Lionesses had been left behind by the men’s team, Shujaas,” Namwamba stated.
The Lionesses were at risk of missing out on the tournament due to a lack of visas and lack of funds.
Recently their male counterparts, Shujaa, disclosed that they have not received any pay for the past three months.
The Sports CS has called on the federations to organize themselves appropriately and prioritize player welfare.
“Allowances for both teams are being paid directly to them. Kenya Rugby Union (KRU) must manage rugby better,” Namwamba added.
This follows a meeting between the CS and KRU officials on Monday, November 28, where they came up with resolutions to prevent such occurrences in the future.