Injera given the boot for 'gross misconduct'


Kenya’s Collins Injera (left) vies for the ball with Newzealand’s Tustagaloa during their IRB Sevens World Series semi-final match in Dubai last year. Injera has been kicked out of the national team for perceived misconduct.

What you need to know:

  •  Injera said he was simply a victim of circumstances in a tussle pitting club and country after the suspension by his club after the he failed to honour their Kenya Cup semi-final against Strathmore.

A week after his Mwamba Rugby Football Club (RFC) suspended him for eight weeks, Kenya Sevens superstar, Collins Injera, has also been kicked out of the national team over gross misconduct.

Kenya Rugby Union (KRU) chairman, Mwangi Muthee, who is out of the country, disclosed that Injera absconded training on Friday with the Kenya Sevens team that resumed training Tuesday last week.

However, Injera said he was shocked, saying he had explained to the National squads and elite training director, Philip Jalan’go, why he skipped training on Friday.

Victim of circumstances

 Injera said he was simply a victim of circumstances in a tussle pitting club and country after the suspension by his club after the he failed to honour their Kenya Cup semi-final against Strathmore.

According to him, he only skipped training on Friday after his Mwamba Club suspended him alongside two other players, Horace Otieno and Dennis Ombachi. “I didn’t understand why the club suspended me while the Union had revoked the move,” Injera said. “I came back on Monday for training but was told that I couldn’t train since there were issues that needed to be resolved.”

“There is no way I could have missed training without reason, and I explained that to Jalang’o through email. What am I expected to do as a player?” posed Injera.

Muthee said that head coach, Mike Friday, had made it clear to all the players when they signed their contracts and their terms of reference, that discipline was paramount.

“We can’t allow indiscipline to trickle back to the team,” Muthee said. “One just can’t have his cake and eat it.”

Muthee explained that Injera is a talented young man and acknowledged his role in the Kenya Sevens team. “However, he really must make a decision on what he wants.”