The Kenya Simbas have secured a Ksh 15 million sponsorship deal from national carrier Kenya Airways, unveiled on Saturday at the RFUEA Grounds ahead of their clash with the UAE.
The one-year partnership will be provided in kind and will primarily cover the team’s travel expenses. According to Kenya Airways’ Chief Commercial & Customer Officer Julius Thairu, the airline is excited to return to rugby sponsorship.
Kenya Simbas deal
“We are back! We are happy to be back. We used to sponsor Kenya 7s, took a break, and now we are back. This partnership is with the Simbas, who are on the path to qualify for the 2027 Rugby World Cup,” Thairu said.
“This is part of our broader vision to contribute to the socio-economic development of the country by supporting sports, sports tourism, and job creation. The entire partnership is in kind—we are providing tickets worth Ksh 15 million over the next 12 months. These tickets will facilitate the team’s travel to various destinations such as Uganda for the qualifiers, South Africa, and other international engagements,” he added.
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Kenya Rugby Union Chairman Sasha Mutai emphasized the importance of the partnership, noting that it will enable the Simbas to participate in key fixtures abroad and improve their world ranking.
“It is very important for every sporting organization to have an airline partner. This is a mutually beneficial partnership. Taking a squad of 35 players to Europe to face high-ranked teams is expensive, but this deal makes it possible. Our aim is to get the Simbas into the top 20, which can only be achieved by playing and beating top-tier sides. That, in turn, boosts our funding. The management has said that if we give them the support they need, they will qualify—and we believe in them,” said Mutai.
Kenya Simbas preps
As part of their preparations, the Simbas will embark on a two-phase tour of South Africa from May 28 to June 27. The first phase, based in Cape Town in collaboration with Western Province, includes Saturday fixtures against Currie Cup teams and midweek training sessions with local clubs and universities. The second phase, from June 22 to 27 in Nylstroom, will see the team face the Blue Bulls’ Currie Cup squads.
The team is scheduled to return to Kenya on June 27 and will hold a final pre-departure camp from July 1 to 2 before departing for Uganda on July 3 for the Rugby Africa Cup qualifiers. The qualifiers will feature top African sides including Zimbabwe, Algeria, Senegal, Uganda, Morocco, Côte d’Ivoire, and Namibia.
