Kevin Wekesa: Playing for Kenya Sevens - and the future

Kenya Sevens star Kevin Wekesa is cool, calm, collected – and raring to go.

After finishing seventh overall in Hong Kong, Kenya head into the decisive final two rounds of the HSBC SVNS World Championship.

Wekesa is confident that the squad is mentally ready to return to the main HSBC SVNS Series, and compete among the world’s elite once again.

“The whole team is really excited to be heading into the final two rounds,” he says. “We know what is at stake, and there’s a strong sense of belief within the squad. We have been on the other side in HSBC SVNS 2, but I feel we are mature enough now to compete at the top, and we have the belief.”

Belief is central to the identity of the team they call the Shujaa, and a tenet that has carried them through the highs and lows over the past decade, from the historic Cup Final victory in Singapore in 2016 and Olympic qualification, to a difficult rebuild in the second division this season.

Shujaa, a Swahili word, means not just ‘hero’ or ‘warrior’, but carries within it that sense of belief – of resilience and courage. The idea that combat requires far more than muscle.

“We’ve worked so very hard through the season, learned from some tough moments, and now it’s about finishing strongly,” Wekesa explains. “Success on the world sevens stage can create opportunities and hope not just for us – but for the Kenya rugby ecosystem. It even helps in trying to get funding for our 15s side to be able to compete at the highest level of this sport.”

Golden ticket

The significance of rugby in Kenya goes well beyond sport. For thousands of young people, rugby represents a golden ticket into education and employment.

“I first started playing rugby in high school in Kenya, at St Joseph’s Kitale,” Wekesa recalls. “Like many Kenyan kids, I grew up around football and tried it out as a goalkeeper, but rugby quickly became something I loved because of the discipline that comes amid the violence.”

Like the belief mindset, rugby brought with it graft, order and respect. For Wekesa, this existed harmoniously alongside a strong and loving family.

“My family has been very supportive from the beginning, as long as I went on with studies in school,” he explains.

“We are three brothers and one sister, and my family has always taught humility and hard work. They always encouraged me to chase opportunities while staying grounded.”

That balance between academics and sport became even more important after he joined the famous Kabras Sugar Rugby Club in Nairobi in 2019. He stresses the huge role Kabras played in “getting me on a full university scholarship. It eased the burden on my family and allowed me to pursue a degree in mechanical engineering while also continuing my rugby.”

His siblings pursued careers in accounting and communications, and Wekesa followed rugby professionally, while qualifying as an engineer.

“Engineering taught me to think differently, stay disciplined, and balance responsibilities outside rugby. I’m now preparing for life after rugby through a management trainee programme with Kabras Sugar.”

Environmental work

Thinking differently and staying disciplined have led Wekesa beyond rugby and engineering, and into environmental activism. His PLAY GREEN initiative won an award from the International Olympic Committee in 2025 at a glitzy presentation ceremony at the Milan-Cortina Olympics.

“Receiving recognition from the IOC was a huge honour,” he says, “but for me the bigger goal is creating long-term impact and awareness. My environmental work really came from seeing the effects of climate change around us, and realising that sport can be a powerful platform for change.

PLAY GREEN has “four pillars,” Wekesa explains. “Tree planting, education on climate change and sustainability in schools, ending single-use plastic and recycling.”

The project has already produced remarkable results.

“I’ve planted about 8,000 trees now and visited over 50 schools to teach on sustainability,” he says.

One of the initiative’s most popular ideas involves encouraging students individually to adopt the trees they plant – again fostering the sense of personal responsibility that runs so deep in Wekesa’s character.

“Most of the students adopt the trees as their own, get to have their own plaques saying, ‘This tree was planted by…’.”

Grassroots

There are three tiers of club rugby in Kenya, with 11 teams in the elite ‘Cup’ competition. Kabras Sugar has been at the Cup helm for 5 years. The Division 2 Championship has another 11 teams, and another 30 or so clubs spread around the country. Across Kenya, a lot of grassroots rugby is being played – presenting a lot of opportunity to push for national honours.

“Domestic and club rugby in Kenya is very passionate and competitive,” says Wekesa. “There is a lot of raw talent in the country, and clubs play a huge role in developing players for the national teams.

“The rugby community in Kenya is close-knit, and weekends are always full of energy, especially during the sevens circuit.”

Kenya Corner

If you’ve ever been to an HSBC SVNS tournament you cannot help but see, hear, and be transported by this energy, in the joyful enthusiasm of Kenya Corner.

Travelling from Hong Kong to Cape Town and Vancouver to New York, a loyal group of Kenya supporters join hundreds of fellow Kenyan ex-pats to dance and sing their way through a sevens rugby weekend.

“Our fans are honestly the heartbeat of Kenyan rugby,” Wekesa smiles. “The passion and vibes they bring are something special and unique. Whether we are winning or going through tough moments they still show up, sing, dance, wave the flags and back us fully.”

“Kenya Corner makes a massive difference for us far away from home. When you hear the drums, chants and songs during games, it genuinely feels like playing at home even when we are thousands of kilometres away. Seeing the Kenyan colours amidst the fans just gives that extra motivation.”

Party hosts

Earlier this year Kenya hosted an HSBC SVNS event for the very first time, welcoming the twelve national teams to Nairobi for the opening round of HSBC SVNS 2. The national stadium was sold out all weekend – and the scenes were amazing.

“Nairobi hosting HSBC SVNS 2 was incredible for me, the first time most of our families could watch us play in the flesh, on the proper international stage.

“The atmosphere was unbelievable, and it showed the world how much Kenya loves sevens – and the impact it makes. Seeing young kids, families and a sold-out stadium was something really powerful. It also showed that Kenya can host world-class rugby – and do so well at it.”

“I would love to see more HSBC SVNS tournaments and big rugby events hosted in Nairobi. Kenya has the fans, the energy and the rugby culture to create amazing tournaments, and it’s also a huge boost for growing the game and participation across the country and in Africa.”

More to give

“This sport has really given me a lot,” concludes Wekesa, “and I wouldn’t want it to end when I still feel there is so much more to give. To qualify for the main HSBC SVNS Series and get back to the top level of this sport would be a proud moment for the badge, the fans, our families and everyone who supports Kenyan rugby.”

“I’ve dreamed of representing Kenya at the highest level since I was young,” he says. “Helping the team get back into the top eight would be something special.”

Whatever happens in the final two rounds, Kevin Wekesa already represents the very best of what Kenyan rugby can produce.

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