Former Kenya Rugby Sevens coach Benjamin Ayimba has died. Ayimba died at Nairobi hospital where he has been undergoing treatment for cerebral malaria. He died on Friday evening.
He commenced treatment late last year and has been admitted to the High Dependency Unit. Last month, Kenyans came together to help him foot the hospital bill that had ballooned. President Uhuru Kenyatta gave 1,000,000 shillings for his treatment.
A warrior rests…
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
— Kenya Rugby (@OfficialKRU) May 22, 2021
Before transitioning into coaching, Ayimba had a glittering career at Kenya 15s and 7s international. He skippered Kenya Cup side Impala Saracens to the Enterprise Cup and Kenya Cup after a 26-year drought.
As the Sevens’ coach, Ayimba’s crowning moment was in 2016 when he led the team to their first World Sevens Series title where they beat Fiji 30-7 at the Singapore Sevens.
May he rest in peace.