When Menengai Oil Refineries Limited formed the second major rugby team in Nakuru, little did they know the profound impact it would have on budding players.
The decision by the manufacturer of quality home care products is indeed a game changer in the rugby-mad Nakuru town and has enabled young players to follow their dreams in this rough and tumble game played by gentlemen.
Besides nurturing their talents, the sponsor, Menengai Oil, has transformed their career path.
Some players are now Kenya's rugby ambassadors in the US courtesy of this sponsorship that aims to support local sports.
It is perhaps one of the best deals penned in local rugby in recent times as it birthed Menengai Oilers RFC that has surely become a rugby powerhouse and nurturing grounds of Nakuru, only second to Nakuru Athletics Club.
Traditionally, Top Fry Nakuru Rugby Football Club, popularly known as "Wanyore", is regarded as the home of the game in the region as it has produced some of the finest players in the country such as Boaz Baraza, Ben Otieno, Larry Okinyo, Jotham Owili, Enos Otieno, Edwin Shimenga, Oscar Ouma and Gibson Weru.
Menengai Oilers came about naturally, to fill the need of a second major club in Nakuru that would accommodate all the abundant talent coming through the increasing number of schools that were embracing the game.
Good players have always come through the traditional rugby schools of the region such as Nakuru Boys High, Menengai High and Nakuru Day Secondary.
But in recent years the reservoir has also included Moi Secondary, Larmudiac, Uhuru Secondary and Langalanga Secondary.
Nakuru RFC could not accommodate all the players leaving secondary school thus the need for another club.
Eager to nurture these talent, several big rugby minds in the region, namely, Simpson Osiemo, Sylvester Musembi, Gibson Weru, Ben Kamau and Kiriro Mindo decided time was ripe for a new rugby club in 2016.
“We sold this idea to Menengai Oilers Limited Managing Director Onkar Rai and the company stepped in in a big way and that is how the Menengai Oilers RFC was started,” said Menengai Oilers secretary Kirori Mindo.
And so in April 2016, Kenya’s newest rugby club, owned by Menengai Oil Refineries Limited, came into being but because of lack of a ground were forced to scrounge for training time and space at Nakuru Athletics Club.
“We eventually shifted to Nakuru Agricultural Society of Kenya (ASK) showground but we were still sharing the training pitch, this time with Geothermal Development Company (GDC) Football Club. And we didn't have goal posts,” recalls Mindo.
But they soldiered on. The team won bowl in its maiden Kenya Rugby Union national sevens circuit appearance at Rugby Football Union of East Africa ground during the 2017 Christie Sevens tournament.
Menengai Oilers made their Kenya Cup debut in 2018 and went on to finish a commendable eighth in the 12-team table.
Wiser, stronger, hungrier, Oilers stormed to a sixth placed finish the following season that earned them qualification to the prestigious playoffs, for the first time in their history.
However, they did not play in the playoffs after the rugby calendar was suspended following the outbreak of Covid-19.
The side, whose average age is 22 years, is coached by former Kenya Sevens star player Gibson Weru.
Other technical bench members are assistant coaches Ben Kamau (back), Richmond Barasa (forward), Ken Njoroge (skills), Sammy Njogu (strength and fitness), Enos Otieno (team manager and forwards) and Anthony Maina (physiotherapist).
"This year we want to show our opponents that we have come of age. We are ready to go for our first Kenya Cup glory,” said Mindo.
One of the top players in the team is try-scoring machine Derrick Keyoga who is a member of Kenya Sevens.
Some of the pioneer players still in the team include captain Harold Ojango, who is also an international sevens player, Clinton Odhiambo and Vincent Oduor.
Other founder players include Egerton University law student Aziz Anan, dependable Francis Atiti, Nickson Ochieng', ex-Vihiga High School’s Dennis Abukose, Davies Nyaundi (Menengai High School) Ibrahim Otieno (Upper Hill School), Andrew Wangila (Chavakali High School) and Rashid Shimwoka.
Menengai Oilers Academy has nurtured three players who are now playing professional rugby in the US namely, centre Eric Ombasa, winger Samuel Muregi and fly half Dennis Abuonji.
Menengai’s talent has been so good that Nakuru RFC have come poaching.
Defending champions KCB have also taken notice of Menengai’s good players are in fact trying to woo Hughes Anjera to the “Lions’ Den”.
According to Mindo, the players are inspired by personal goals and their quest to feature for the national teams.
Menengai Oilers provided several players to the Kenya Under- 20 team that represented Kenya in Brazil in 2019 including Edwin Mwaura (prop), Ibrahim Otieno (lock), Emmanuel Mula Makwata (prop) and Timothy Okwemba (winger), who scored a memorable try against Japan.
Mindo attributes their steady rise to passion, discipline and teamwork.
Coach Weru, 38, whose vision is to make the club the best in the region, says he has set a target of winning Kenya Cup this season.
Weru steered the team to victory in the Great Rift-10-aside-tournament in 2019 and a formidable charge in the national sevens circuit, regularly featuring in the Cup knockout stage.
“Moulding the young players to be future leaders and contribute to the well being of society makes me happy,” he says.
"The sponsor has put in awesome resources and ensured all players are in schools, under scholarships. Some are taking expensive university courses and the sponsor supports them financially, paying their hostels rent and stipends,” explained Mindo.
The club has partnered with a few schools across the country among them Menengai High School, Nakuru Boys, Chavakali High School, Vihiga High School, Kakamega High School, Bungoma High School to develop rugby.
During school holidays they pick from the schools two players per position and train them rugby skills.
Menengai Oil is building a state-of-the-art gym, an indoor running track, a boxing ring among other facilities at Nakuru ASK showground for use by the players and other sports people in the area.
Kenya Cup clubs, better watch out!
