Menengai Oilers stalwart opens up on juggling club commitments and Kenya 7s duty

Menengai Oilers center Dennis Abukuse has built a reputation as one of Kenya’s most adaptable rugby players, seamlessly switching between club duty and national team assignments with Kenya Sevens.

Follow our WhatsApp channel for more news

He is comfortable in both the 15s and 7s formats.

The versatile player featured in all the legs of the 2025 HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series, a campaign that ended painfully for Shujaa following a structural shake-up that saw Team Kenya relegated from the elite tier.

Despite his consistent selection, Abukuse admitted that the season did not go as planned personally. He is, however, determined to make amends when HSBC SVNS 2 kicks off on Saturday, 14 to Sunday, 15 February at Nyayo Stadium.

HSBC SVNS 2 brings extra buzz to Nairobi this Valentine’s Day

“Last HSBC season did not go as I had hoped. I struggled and failed to get on the scoresheet on several occasions. This coming season, I am determined to correct that,” he told Mozzart Sport.

The 2024 season was one of intense activity for Abukuse on the international stage. He was part of the Kenya Sevens side that finished ninth at the Paris Olympics and later featured for the Morans at the Africa Men’s Sevens tournament in Mauritius before rejoining Shujaa just in time for the Games.

Upon returning to club rugby, his impact was immediate. Abukuse lit up the circuit during the Dala 7s, scoring 10 tries and earning a place in the impact team with 57 impact points.

His hot streak continued at the Kabeberi 7s, where nine tries saw him named the impact player of the tournament. Although a thigh injury forced him to miss the Driftwood 7s in Mombasa, he returned strongly to finish as top try scorer at the Prinsloo 7s with another nine tries.

“I am feeling great and ready to deliver. The secret is hard work and adapting as quickly as possible. I’ve taken time to understand the Menengai Oilers and Kenya Sevens systems, so whenever I join the squad, I am always prepared,” he said.

The scars of relegation from the top tier of world sevens rugby still linger. In May 2023, Abukuse was a newcomer to the circuit when Kenya suffered their first-ever relegation from the HSBC series after more than a decade among the elite, confirmed by a narrow 12–7 loss to London at Twickenham. The image of a distraught Abukuse kneeling on the pitch, head in hands, became symbolic of the team’s heartbreak.

PLAYER ANALYSIS: Ghanaian Architect, Enock Morrison's mastery in Gor Mahia's midfield

“It was a very difficult moment for me when we were relegated. It was also the first season at that level for many of us, and personally, I only got about 30 seconds of game time, which was painful,” he recalled.

Now older and more experienced, Abukuse believes he is ready to help Kenya bounce back on home soil.

Shujaa recently held a week-long training camp in South Africa, testing themselves against the Blitzboks, Rhinos, and Western Province. For Abukuse, the intensity of those sessions paid off as South Africa went on to win the Perth Sevens shortly after.

“We played against South Africa, and they felt our intensity. Now they’ve gone on to win in Perth. Training with us contributed to their sharpness, which shows that we, too, are a force to be reckoned with,” he offered.

As Kenya begins life in SVNS 2, Abukuse has a message for the home crowd.

“I urge fans to turn up in large numbers, bring positivity, put negativity aside, pick a player to cheer on, and we will be just fine.”