Kenya 7s coaches living in squalid conditions after fallout
The living conditions of the national sevens team coaches have dramatically deteriorated due to non-payment of salaries, bills and rents, Nairobi News can report.
The house for assistant coach Vuyo Zangqa and strength and conditioning coach Graham Bentz in a Nairobi suburb is in darkness after Kenya Power disconnected power due to several months of unpaid electricity bills.
Nairobi News understand that water too has been cut off from the house that Kenya Rugby Union (KRU) had leased for the duo.
“Our electricity has been cut as our rent has been outstanding for the last five months,” Bentz posted on his Facebook page.
UTILITY BILLS
KRU is responsible for payment of all utility bills and rents for the foreign coaches contracted to them.
There are four South African coaches currently working with various rugby teams in the country.
Zangqa and Bentz were up to July this year contracted for Sevens team. Jerome Paarwaters is the head coach of the national fifteens team, while Ashcin Klein is on the technical bench of the national Sevens women team that is currently in Ireland for World Series qualifiers.
Graham and Vuyo’s contracts ran out at the end of July and had never been renewed.
In July they were handed a one-way ticket to South Africa and ordered to vacate the house by the Union after they had led other senior players in threatening to boycott training because of salary delays.
They however declined the offer and have had their cars withdrawn. Fearing legal action, KRU did not sack them. The two have been commuting using public means.
DISCIPLINARY HEARING
The duo’s tribulations seems far from over as they have been summoned for disciplinary hearing on Thursday at KRU offices on Ngong Road.
According to sources within the ranks of the KRU, the fate of the coaches was sealed months ago.
“Vuyo and Graham might as well be termed as former coaches. The two do not have contracts with the union at the moment,” he told Nairobi News.
However, the treatment of the two tacticians has put KRU in the cross-hairs of the international rugby community.
“Who will be willing to be associated with our Union with such reputation. For now, my moral discomfort outweighs any other argument,” remarked Frank Hagono, a rugby fan.