By Joshua Khisa

Social-political activist Boniface Mwangi has hit out at President William Ruto over the cash donation awarded to the Kenyan national sevens team.

The team beat South Africa to qualify for the Paris 2024 Olympics as African representatives.

Following the stellar performance, President Ruto on Tuesday, September 19, 2023, gifted the team Ksh3 million.

But responding to the gift, Mwangi claimed it was a raw deal for the Kenyan rugby team.

According to the activist, the team deserved more – going by the standards that the President has set.

He noted that while individual athletes have been getting Ksh5 million, the said Ksh3 million was far too little and unfair.

Boniface Mwangi said a higher amount would enable the team to share the gift evenly, considering the current high cost of living.

“This is a raw deal to the rugby team. Ruto has been dishing out Sh2 million to Sh5 million to individual athletes. Sh2 million to a whole team is unfair going by the standards Ruto set,” the activist said.

“Gift them something big so that they can evenly share. Life in Kenya is very expensive,” he added.

Under the new reward model for Kenyan sportsmen and women, the government announced that it would be awarding Ksh5 million to an individual who breaks the world record.

The new rewarding model took effect recently with Faith Kipyegon among the beneficiaries after breaking three world records.

Boniface Mwangi’s post has elicited mixed reactions with some Kenyans on social media siding with him.

Others however said Ksh3  million was enough given the team only qualified for the Olympics.

“Bro the standards were for records broken if I can’t forget,” noted one of the X users.

“You want monetary awards to come as low as every qualification so that you realise what you talking about?” added another one.

Bokata’s Rizz, responding to the post said should the Rugby team decide to share the Ksh3 million, the much they could each get would be Ksh130,000.

“Manze hio at most watapata 130k each na ndio they put in a good shift huko Zimbabwe,” Rizz said.

“Everyone should get 5M – at least 2M,” noted another user.