Kenya Morans captain John Okoth in action for Shujaa during a past tournament/HANDOUTKenya Morans will take part in the Zambezi Sevens tournament set for Harare, Zimbabwe, on November 8–9.
The Kenya Sevens second-string side will face tough opposition from hosts Zimbabwe, who will field two teams, as well as Zambia, South Africa and several other invited sides.
The Zambezi Sevens is one of the key regional tournaments in Southern Africa, providing a competitive platform for emerging players to showcase their talent and gain international exposure. For Kenya, it will serve as a crucial build-up to upcoming World Rugby Challenger Series events and other continental assignments.
Kenya Rugby Union director for national Sevens squads, Humphrey Kayange, said the Harare outing will offer the Morans valuable experience and a chance to test themselves against quality opposition.
“The tournament in Zimbabwe will be good for the young side. We, as a union, have always believed they need to play in satellite tournaments to get exposure and act as a feeder for Shujaa going forward,” said Kayange.
The Morans last featured at the Safari Sevens last month, where they bowed out in the semi-finals after losing 14–12 to touring side Shogun in a thrilling clash.
In the pool stages, the John Okoth-captained team beat Reunion 24–0, edged Apache 28–10 and overcame Zimbabwe 27–7 to reach the quarter-finals. They then beat UK Select 21–17 before defeating Zimbabwe 19–10 in the bronze medal match.
The Morans resumed training last week alongside Shujaa after a brief break following the Safari Sevens. The training sessions have focused on improving defensive organisation, conditioning, and tactical awareness ahead of the Harare trip.
Kayange expressed confidence that the team selected for Harare would perform well. “We have a good crop of young, hungry players coming through, and looking at their performances at the Safari Sevens, it was commendable. What we need going forward is funding for teams to play in more international tournaments, and that is something the union is working on,” he added.
The squad for Harare will feature a blend of youth and experience. Strathmore duo Victor Mola and Arnold Muita, Oilers’ playmaker Daniel Kipchirchir and UK-based Rayvone Ambale are among those expected to make the cut.
The final squad will be named on Wednesday and depart for Zimbabwe on Thursday. Success in Harare would mark another important step in Kenya’s mission to rebuild a strong pipeline of Sevens talent for future international competitions.
