photos by Mentalacrobatics and Harvest Tone This past weekend, we finally witnessed the first Mean Machine Kenya Cup game win of the season. I thought we had lost the will to fight and win. But after watching this game against Nakuru, I realised that it was always there and perhaps just needed to be channelled. Thanks to Benja and the rest of the technical team, the boys finally proved that weR...

Well the 2009 fifteens season has been done and dusted and no, the Kenya Cup trophy has not yet come home. In fact, for long spells of the season, the trophy seemed to drift further and further away into the horizon. But it has not all been bleak. The much dreaded molting process finally got underway in earnest under the watchful eye of returnee coach Sevens maverick Benjamin Ayimba. There were so...

JC I was born again in 1984 in my own room through personal conviction of my own singleness and God’s gracious kindness and patience with me. Knowing that sooner or later I was going to die, I found rest or peace in my heart concerning the condition in which I was to meet him. Since I also did not know what the future held for me, whether joy or sorrow, I urgently sought to be reconciled to the ...

Give me my machine gun Let me fight the war Don’t waste my time now It’s a perfect time to score A perfect time to hear those engines roar. Give me my machine gun Feel my passion burn When will you learn?? There’s a war out there, Still debating if you should load your gun? Are you for real son? I’m ready No need to call steady. Let’s go. There is a name to defend History to amend League...

How the years fly past. Just the other day ‘92, I was a fresher during the 15th anniversary; now it’s already the 20th, all unbelievable. As captain, 1992-93 I took over a Machine in a state of flux, enough of the older players had already hung up their boots and a big number of the present were demoralized. This was quite understandable coming out of a bleak two years, 1991-1992, when...

Machine guys and the girls have always been a very touchy issue. We only talked about them, and that’s where it ended. Apart of course from a few “clandos” that some guys shared. We were always “the rough guys”. Ask Boni, Evan, Shebesh, Yakas, Sabwa, Bundux or even Bwaab, Rombo and Chiro. Most of these guys especially Joe, Bonnie, Olimba and Wawira have improved since col...

A newspaper article in the 90’s suggested that the culprits pictured below were former University of Nairobi students playing for Barclays Bank. The article went on to question how exactly these culprits would fit into the Barclays team, which suggests to this reporter that perhaps the true identity of these ruffians was suspect even then. Violation: Mean Machine players purporting to play...

As day turned to night, the pace changed from hard runs and quick steps, to the intoxicating aroma of the Captain’s Mbuzi as it slowly roasted on the evening fire. The fire represented for me, that eternal flame that burns in the heart of a true Machine; that warmth deep down in our souls every time we hear the name Mean Machine; that intensity that Mean Machine brings to the heart of Kenyan...

Mean Machine RFC, knowing on which side their bread is buttered, gave The Machine Old Boys the shirts off their backs; literally. And thus the game began, the MOB in the great blue and white, the boys looking like ruffians… Rombo V. Kopo Generations came together, the inspiring and the inspired…. FRU together again.. Charlie jumped with glee… Unfortunately, Johnny Woo’s ...

The 2009 rugby season is just about to start and I have great expectations for local rugby this year, which I am sure are shared by many at Mean Machine. I would like to see a bigger and better Rugby Super Series tournament this year. I would like to see Uganda participate this year and bring the number of participating teams up to eight from six. The rivalry between Kenya and Uganda on the pitch...