It is rare to see honorable members taking an active role in matters of sports unless when officiating handing over of jerseys and other items to empower young talents.
However, one Member of County Assembly of Nakuru has embraced Rugby sports to an extent that he never misses such touching events within and without Nakuru.
The current Shabab Ward MCA David Wathiai is one man who has proven that even honorable members can do more in the world of sports as participants or fans.
Besides being an MCA, he is also a member of the Nakuru Rugby Committee.
His recent appearance at the Nakuru Athletics Club during the 10 aside rugby tournament is what triggered Mtaa Wangu to unmask the other cap that the honorable member wears.
Born and raised in Nakuru’s Ngei estate, Wathiai says his interest in matters sports and more so rugby started when he was young.
It happened that one of the founders of Nakuru RFC Larry Okinyo was also staying in the same estate and through interactions, Wathiai started developing interest in rugby.
At times, Wathiai together with other young boys from the estate would accompany Okinyo to Nakuru Athletics for training as ball boys.
“We used to hang around with Okinyo for he was our neighbor, so whenever he went for training, we would help him carry the bags. In rugby there is what we call ‘stool’ side stepping and that is where the juicy part of rugby is” says Wathiai.
An alumni of Menengai High School, Wathiai reveals that his interests in the rugby games has seen him attend numerous 10 aside matches with the latest having played in Nakuru last weekend just to give the team moral support.
He notes that by the time he was clearing high school, Nakuru rugby team had not secured sponsorship.
The team had to rely on fundraisers to enable them travel for tournaments in various parts of the country.
However, there was light at the end of the tunnel around 2011 when Menengai Company stepped in to sponsor the team that saw it win Kenya Cup twice.
“We used to have harambee for the team to travel to and from match venues as they had no sponsorship,” says Wathiai.
Wathiai who is also the Vice Chair Sports Committee at the County Assembly of Nakuru, notes that the Nakuru RFC is still struggling in terms of sponsorship as Menengai pulled out.
He is however quick to note that as a strong believer in rugby matters, he will lobby through the committee to have more allocation towards sports kitty so that the welfare of Nakuru teams can be taken into consideration.
This, according to him, is the only way to help nurture young talents that will continue raising the flag of Nakuru County.
He regrets that for the first time in 23 years, Kenya Sevens will not take part in the World Rugby Sevens Series as they have been relegated after they lost to Canada 12-7 in the relegation play-off final at the London Sevens last weekend.
“We are pushing the sports department to see to it that sports matters in Nakuru are taken good care of. We don’t want to see our teams suffering due to lack of sponsorship,” he says.
When not in chambers of the county assembly of Nakuru or in the field doing rugby, Wathiai is also a stakeholder in the matatu industry.
