NAIROBI, Kenya, August 5, 2026 – Kabras Sugar head coach Carlos Katywa has warned rivals in the local scene that his team’s dominance is just in its infancy.
The South African points to the team’s strategic youth development programme that is presently bearing good fruits in the form of talented and athletic players.
“These boys have been in the system since under 16…under 18. I think God has blessed us that these boys have lived up to their full potential. Let me tell you it’s gonna take something for someone to ignore Siketa (Jackson), Lukusi (Mike), Rayvon (Ambale). You guys are also missing one person…there’s a boy called Kwesa (Adrian), he’s only 19 years old. He was playing wing centre,” Katywa said.
The sugar millers are undoubtedly the kings of Kenyan rugby, having won the prestigious Kenya Cup six times, including a five-peat from 2021 to date.
They have also won the last five editions of the Enterprise Cup (2022-2026).
Although their fortunes in the rugby 7s pale in comparison to their aforementioned accomplishments in the 15s, the Western Kenya side have always been a top contender for the National Sevens Circuit (NSC) and have contributed a number of renowned players to the national set-up, including Kevin Wekesa and Brian Tanga, among others.
With the emergence of the young talents, this trend seems set to continue.
Katywa says this is a role Kabras are only too happy to play, breeding the best of the best in Kenyan rugby down at the ‘Forest’– their home ground.
“That’s what we do down there in the west (Kakamega)…we breed players and I am not saying other teams don’t but we are working hard down there. We’re gonna make sure that this country will continuously rebuild and have new players coming in the system. It is so beautiful to watch young players excel,” he said.
Rough edges to refine
Kabras’ young bloods were on show at the past weekend’s Dala 7s, spurring the sugar millers to a 17-5 victory over archrivals Menengai Oilers at the Jomo Kenyatta International Stadium in Mamboleo, Kisumu.
Ambale was named the tourney’s Most Valuable Player (MVP) after topping the points chart with 77 across the competition — taking his tally to 128 for the NSC thus far.
For all their virtuoso performance, the gaffer is, however, cautious not to declare them the finished product.
A cause of concern is the tendency of his charges to start games on the backfoot before picking up the pace later on.
“We have a tendency or actually not even just us…I believe it’s a Kenyan thing. We always try and chase games and you can see it has happened in Under 20s, Simbas and it’s happening. We’ve got very skilled players and very strong players but there’s something that needs to change,” he said.
Katywa added: “I don’t know whether it’s a training regime or not or that we are fitter or stronger at the end or we practice fitness at the end whether we should change it to start. I can tell you there’s also something that one needs to understand with that character. It means that Kenyans have got character…they are resilient they come back they always fight and that’s what Kabras is all about.”
The South African will be hoping that there is more where that came from as far as his youngsters are concerned.
If they continue with the same form exhibited at the Prinsloo 7s and Dala, Shujaa head coach Kevin ‘Bling’ Wambua, who has been watching from the stands, will need painkillers to heal from the selection headache he will encounter as he ponders over his team for the Safari 7s.
