Life and times of Benjamin Ayimba
Reading Time: 2min | Sat. 22.05.21. | 08:40
Rest in Peace Legend, thank you for the great memories.
The Kenya rugby fraternity has been thrown into mourning following the passing of former Kenya Sevens head coach Benjamin Ayimba.
The 44-year-old succumbed to cerebral malaria on Friday 21 May 2021 while receiving treatment at the Kenyatta National Hospital.
The family spokesman Oscar Osir confirmed Ayimba’s demise and thanked the public for the financial support they have accorded the family.
“It is with great sadness that we announce the death of Benjamin on Friday 21 May 2021. Benjamin succumbed to the multiple complications he was being treated for over the past couple of months.”
“The family and close friends would like to extend their deepest gratitude for the prayers and the overwhelming moral and financial support that you all have offered during Benjamin’s last days. May the Almighty God rest Benjamin’s soul in peace,” said Osir in an interview with KRU.
We have lost a great patriot in Benjamin Ayimba. Prior to taking up coaching he had an illustrious career as a Rugby 15s and 7s international.
— Raila Odinga (@RailaOdinga) May 22, 2021
As coach he led Kenya to their first World Sevens Series title when they beat Fiji at the Singapore Sevens in 2016. pic.twitter.com/a4vMPQUzhN
Ayimba’s rugby passion was developed in Maseno School where upon completion in 1994 he joined Impala RFC and skippered the side to two Kenya Cup and Enterprise Cup doubles in 2000 and 2001.
He was instrumental for the Impala RFC sevens as he led them to three National Sevens Circuit titles in 1999,2000 and 2001.
He eventually switched to Nondescripts in 2002 and also had a stint with English side Cornish Priates between 2003 and 2005.
Ayimba also turned out for Kenya Sevens at the 1998,2002 and 2006 Commonwealth Games as well as the 2001 and 2005 Rugby World Cup Sevens tournaments in Argentina and Hong Kong respectively.
He would later transition into coaching as he took up the Kenya Sevens head coach role between 2006 and 2011 and guided them to the first-ever World Series final in 2009 in Adelaide and made history by steering Shujaa to Rugby World Cup Sevens semifinal in 2009 in Dubai.
A warrior rests...
— Kenya Rugby (@OfficialKRU) May 22, 2021
We join the Ayimba family and the entire rugby and sporting fraternity in mourning legendary backrow and former @KenyaSevens Head Coach @benayimba who passed away on Friday 21 May 2021.#RipBenja pic.twitter.com/YPG8M4yF1Q
Ayimba had a second stint at the helm of Shujaa in 2016 and made history by qualifying for the first-ever Olympics in 2016 to include rugby sevens and also whitewashed sevens heavyweights Fiji 30-7 in the 2016 Singapore Sevens final to lift Shujaa's maiden series title.
The gaffer also had stints at Homeboyz, Mean Machine and Kenya Harlequin where he served as Assistant Coach until his death.
