Benjamin Otieno Ayimba’s story can pass off as that of Cinderalla. When Kenya Rugby Union reappointed him as the national Sevens team head coach in September last year, the decision was met with more criticism than appreciation.
‘Ayimba is back’ hit the headlines but almost plunged the federation to the ugly politics it had just managed to quell.
Many critics, including the Kenya Rugby Union (KRU) directors, castigated chairman Richard Omwela for the decision, questioning whether Ayimba would keep up with the rest of the world as the Sevens game had evolved since his last stint as head coach that ended in 2011 with a sack.
He was not fazed.
The clamour surrounding his appointment did not seem to bother the former Nondies, Cornish Pirates and Impala back row. Neither did it worry the players as they cruised past all teams in the Africa qualifiers for the 2016 Rio Olympics barely a month after Ayimba taking over the reins.
He has not only silenced his critics but will get to live his dream of leading the national Sevens team at the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympic games. Sevens rugby will be making its debut at the Olympics and Kenya has clearly made its intent at the games known.
In Rio, the rugby game will be the game of a lifetime as his charges take on the world for a stab at Kenya’s first ever gold medal in a team sport. It will also be a celebration as the Shujaa head coach turns 40.
Those that have played under Ayimba say he is a great confident coach that knows how to turn lambs into lions. ‘‘He is the kind of general that has no weak soldiers in his army,’’ said a player.
He is an avid reader; to motivate his players, he likes throwing in a number of quotes from celebrated authors.
The former Kenya Sevens and 15s captain has tried his hand at business— transporting fish from Kisumu to Nairobi.
However, the fish business didn’t last as long as his time on the rugby pitch. After seven months of success, his business partner decided to make a run for it with the profits they had made.
With the national Sevens team, the Maseno School alumnus seems to always break barriers even when the rest are in doubt.
In his first stint, he led Kenya not only to its first semi-final appearance at a Rugby World Cup in Dubai in 2009, but also to its first ever appearance at a World Rugby Sevens Series final in Adelaide Sevens the same year.
Unfortunately, the team bowed to South Africa in the final of the 2009 Adelaide leg of the World Rugby Sevens Series, and to Argentina in the World Cup semi-final.
The World Cup performance in 2009 saw the father of three, (17 year-old, 13, and 10) awarded the Order of the Grand Warrior by then President Mwai Kibaki.
Ayimba and his charges were not to undergo the same fate again when the opportunity presented itself last weekend.
This time playing against Fiji, which is currently the best ranked team in the world. The Sevens team crushed them 30-7, running in six tries through a Collins Injera brace, and one a piece from Oscar Ayodi, Sammy Oliech, Nelson Oyoo and Frank Wanyama.
What the Singapore win means is that Ayimba and his charges now stand a good chance to challenge for a place in the top five come the final leg in London.
Kenya is now in seventh place with 85 points, just 10 points shy of fifth-placed USA.
It also means, he could see Kenya cross the 100 points barrier for the first time ever when the season comes to an end in London. Englishman Mike Friday came close when the Sevens team finished the 2012-2013 season with 99 points.
Ayimba, a powerful and inspirational number eight in his playing days at Impala and Nondescripts rugby clubs between 1995 and 2002, is great at finding weaknesses in any system. He did put that skill to use in Singapore, with fantastic results.
He first pinned the more experienced players like Injera on the unstoppable French tank Virimi Vakatawa, a move that pushed Kenya past one of the pre-tournament favourites 28-7.
In the final, he had his charges put massive pressure on Fiji whenever the Pacific islanders had the ball, which forced them to make several errors that Kenya would capitalise on to win 30-7.
The team’s performance now brings in a new headache for Ayimba, however, in selecting a team for the Olympics which kick off in Brazil’s capital Rio de Janeiro this August.
The experienced players like Humphrey Kayange, Injera and Amonde seem to be as fit as they need to be to challenge for a place in Ayimba’s team but a number of youngsters have put their hands up for selection and have made it clear that they want a slot in the Rio squad.
Nelson Oyoo, Frank Wanyama, Leonard Mugaisi, Oliech and Aringo have throughout the series been outstanding out and will certainly give Ayimba a hard time wielding the axe.
Since Ayimba held his first rugby ball 23 years ago, he has never turned back on his new found passion. He joined Maseno School as a freshman when the craze for rugby as a sport was just drifting to its peak among students.
In fact, a playground adjacent to the school’s icon office bloc, which was previously reserved for hockey, was literally taken over by rugby training squads and fans as the fad caught on.
Visible passion
The legions of fans who hitherto thronged the school’s soccer field adjacent to Mabungo market equally thinned out as more took to spectating rugby.
But it was until his third year at the school in 1993 that he got introduced to the game.
Right from his cubicle in Amadi dormitory, Ayimba’s passion for the game was visible. From loads of sweat-dredged playing kits and boots to hosting team mates for chit-chats had become part of the craze.
He was always part of rugby fans that seldom missed a chance to squeeze in front of a tiny TV set at the school dining hall to watch international matches. Some 22 years later he has moved from just watching to being a focus of the TV cameras whose images are beamed to millions of fans globally.
Contrary to Cinderalla story, the time of riding off into the sunset is not over for Ayimba, the red hues of the sky have not faded. His rugby story is not over. He hopes the happily ever after continues in Rio.
