Celebrating a hero: Paul Murunga reflects on how Ulinzi RFC shaped his rugby career

Happy Mashujaa Day readers!

The 60th Mashujaa celebrations will honor the heroes and heroines who struggled for Kenya's liberty as well as those who have made positive contributions to the country post-independence.

In the same spirit, Mozzart Sport celebrates a man whose name is synonymous with excellence on the rugby pitch; Paul Murunga, alias Pau.

To honor this special rugby figure, we delve into the story of how former rugby club Ulinzi RFC, fashioned Murunga and many other legends into fierce warriors of the rugby scene,

Any rugby fan in the late 1990s and early 2000 is familiar with Ulinzi RFC, the team that electrified the then-vibrant rugby scene.

Not only did the club consistently excel on the rugby pitch, but it also served as the cradle of renowned rugby figures who have long hung their boots, with some embracing managerial roles in esteemed local and international clubs.

Among the brightest stars that Ulinzi RFC nurtured include current Kenya Lionesses tacticians Paul Murunga and Dennis Mwanja, the world's highest try scorer Collins Injera, current Kenya Rugby Union director of national squads Humphrey Kayange, current Kenya 7s coach Kevin Wambua, and current Lionesses team manager Camilyne Oyuayo among other notable names.

Mozzart Sport caught up with current Kenya Harlequins coach Pau who launched his professional rugby career wearing the Ulinzi jersey. The tactician gave a sneak peek into the vibrant days of the then-splendid club, why it was disbanded, and its impact on the current crop of players.

The year 2000 will forever remain in Pau's mind. He was in form four when he captained Kakamega High School to their maiden national 15s win, dethroning longstanding champions Lenana High School. In the process, the team brought the coveted trophy to the Western region for the first time. Unlike today, during those days, only teams from Nairobi had won the national title.

For instance this year, Koyonzo High School won the Kenya Secondary Schools Sports Association (KSSSA) rugby 7s games in an all-western affair with Vihiga Boys High School, while Butula High School from Busia won the KSSSA rugby 15s title after seeing off All Saints from Eastern region.

"Rugby was a game more played in Nairobi than in any part of Kenya," he recalled.

Fresh from high school, Pau made a resolute decision to join Ulinzi RFC, largely influenced by the fact that some of his former schoolmates, including the likes of Mark Okwaro, had already found their rugby home within the club.

"The guys that were in form four when I was in form three had already started playing for Ulinzi RFC like Emmanuel Shitote, and Dennis Mwanja who was playing for the then rivalry side Musingu High School. The only club I knew when I went to school was after rugby, I could only join Ulinzi RFC because I had already connected with the players there. So, after form four, I left home in Turbo and went to Nairobi and joined Ulinzi RFC when I joined the likes of the late Allan Makaka, and John Asila, " the tactician revealed.

This decision would set the stage for a remarkable rugby journey that would see him leave an indelible mark on Kenyan rugby. Under his leadership together with the late Benjamin Ayimba, the duo saw Kenya achieve its most remarkable feat to date; winning the Singapore 7s title in 2016. That historic moment showcased the immense potential of Kenya Rugby on the global stage.

But what was the secret behind Ulinzi RFC's endurance and incredible performance?

Pau dedicated their incredible performance to the relentless training. Back then Ulinzi was the only professional rugby team in the country. He explained that training was their daily job. They would wake up, go for runs, eat, train, take lunch, train again, and repeat.

For instance, they would run from Jamhuri Grounds (current Homeboyz RFC training grounds), through Karen, then to Langata, Ngong Road, and go back to the Jamhuri Grounds, a total of 28 kilometers daily. Their fine form saw them go on to win the local circuit in 2002 and retain it in 2003 under the captainship of Brian Malenya, a Bungoma High School alumni.

"Ulinzi RFC was a full camp throughout. We were the fittest team in the country, as well as the best physical team. It was also the most disciplined team," Pau told Mozzart Sport.

However, in 2004, Ulinzi RFC was disbanded, leaving fans disheartened. Contrary to popular opinion, the dissolution of the club was not due to a lack of discipline. According to Pau, it was not just Ulinzi RFC, rather all the defense forces teams were disbanded to start a comprehensive restructuring across numerous sports disciplines including basketball, boxing, and more.

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Sadly despite being at the peak of their performance, the team had to be disbanded as part of this larger project.

"By 2004, all the defense forces teams were disbanded to restructure again, so we had basketball, football, and boxing all disbanded. We were not rowdy. We were the best team, the best physical team, and the most disciplined team by them. It was not Ulinzi RFC alone. Unfortunately, Ulinzi was not adopted by any of the units because running a rugby team is too expensive. It needed funding, players, insurance cover, kits from renowned companies, transport, meals, training equipment, so it was delayed and was not formed again due to the cost implications," he offered.

With the team's disbandment, several players continued with their careers in other clubs while others found themselves looking for jobs outside of rugby. Injera, Kayange, Okwaro, Wambua, and Shitote all joined Mwamba RFC, with the duo of Pau and Mwanja joining KCB Rugby in 2005.

The late Allan Makaka teamed up with Kenya Harlequins, and Camelyne joined Mwamba RFC to start the first crop of Mwamba ladies. The likes of Jeff Ilembwa and Brian Malenya left for work. The squad also produced top referees like Chris Okumu and Oduor Ngoche.

Pau's DNA for success was again visible when he took over skipper roles at KCB Rugby from Derrick Wamalwa in 2006, just a year after joining them. Between 2006 and 2008, he captained the Bankers to win several Kenya Cup, Eric Shirley Shield, National 7s Circuit, Floodies, and Enterprise Cup titles. It was then that he was on top of his game; playing for Kenya Simbas and captaining KCB Rugby until 2009 when he decided to take another step.

In 2010, Pau founded Homeboyz RFC where he served as a player and coach, guiding them to two National 7s Circuit titles in 2022, won the Enterprise Cup, and helped them to two Kenya Cup semi-final appearances.

He then moved on to become head coach of Chipu 7s and 15s, leading them to many firsts including a Barthes Cup final, several Elgon cups, and a youth Olympics appearance in 2014 for the sevens side.

His coaching accolades in the senior side read like a book, having been part of the Simbas set-up that played in the first Vodacom Cup, but most notably he was assistant to Benja when Kenya won that title in Singapore. He was then handed the Kenya 7s Head Coach role in 2018. He is currently the Quins' head coach as well as Kenya Lionesses tactician.

The gaffer who stands as a beacon of hope to younger players advised them to always put their best feet forward in spite of the challenges. He further reminded them that success in rugby is built on hard work, dedication, and undying pursuit of improvement.

"You have to start from somewhere. There is no shortcut. You have to train, hard work, and thumb your nails in the books of history when you are still young. Later on, other things will follow," he advised.

The tactician is in Dubai, UAE for the WXV3 assignment with Kenya Lionesses. The Lionesses will face Kazakhstan on Friday 20 before taking on Colombia on October 27.