Payment issues from Ministry of Education side threaten to overshadow Western region’s rugby games
The Western Regional Secondary Schools Games rugby 7s matches were aborted at the quarter-final stage due to a boycott by referees over non-payment of their refereeing allowances by the education ministry and demands for increased payment amounts.
As a result of the referees’ boycott, school principals and stakeholders are deeply concerned that the Western region may miss the opportunity to present both boys’ and girls’ rugby teams at the national secondary school games, set to kick off next week in Kisumu City from July 29 and conclude on August 7.
In an exclusive interview with People Sport, the region’s games secretary, Quinto Omusugu, explained that all regional school rugby quarter-final games were halted on the third day of competition after the referees downed their tools due to the education ministry’s failure to pay their refereeing allowances and increase the umpires’ daily subsistence allowance rates.
“After the rugby preliminary games held last Thursday and Friday, July 18 and 19, the referees downed their tools last Saturday over non-payment of their allowances and demands for increased rates by the Ministry of Education. Consequently, the regional rugby quarter-finals, semi-finals, and finals, scheduled for last Saturday, were aborted,” Omusugu recalled.
He disclosed that the rugby matches were called off last Saturday after negotiations between the regional education ministry officials, the Western KSSSA chapter, and the referees failed to resolve the issue, prompting the umpires to stop working.
People Sport learned that the aborted quarter-final games at Kibabii University Sports Ground were scheduled to feature boys’ schools Musingu, Chavakali, Kakamega High, St. Peters Mumias, Vihiga Boys, Kimodo Mixed Secondary School from Bungoma County, and last year’s defending champions, Koyonzo Boys.
In the girls’ rugby category, the affected schools were Bishop Sulumeti, Madira, Kimono, Moi Girls Kamusinga, Eregi, Mwira Girls, Mbakalo Girls, and Kongit Girls, all from Bungoma County.
Omusugu explained that although the Western Regional Kenya Secondary Schools Sports Association (KSSSA) chapter had paid each of the 16 referees an honorarium of Sh2,000, the referees boycotted the quarter-final, semi-final, and final games due to the education ministry’s failure to pay and increase their daily welfare and subsistence allowances.
“Payment for games referees is generally the responsibility of the education ministry. Although KSSSA, which organizes the games, paid referees their honorarium, the funds are disbursed by the education ministry through our secondary schools sports association,” Omusugu stated.
Omusugu noted that regional education ministry and KSSSA officials are cautiously optimistic that the aborted quarter-final, semi-final, and final rugby games will resume today at St. Peters Mumias Secondary School Sports Ground, which is more central to all teams, once all parties concerned, including the aggrieved referees, resume payment negotiations.
He added, “If the negotiations fail, we will face an unprecedented tricky situation.”