Menengai Oilers legend departs club after a decade

Menengai Oilers RFC’s longest serving player Clinton Odhiambo has left the Nakuru based side after 10 year to join Canadian side St George’s London Rugby Club .

Odhiambo also known as “Sala” by rugby aficionado has earned 121 caps for his club which is sponsored by the Rai Group, a total five Kenya Simbas caps, a Kenya Cup finalist medal, and a National 7s Circuit title, among other accolades. He has been operating as a lock and back row forward for his team and follows through the footsteps of Brian Ndirangu and Harold Anduvate.

“After 10 years of service with Menengai Oilers, our longest-serving player, Odhiambo, bids farewell to the club as he embarks on a new journey,” the club announced.

“A wonderful servant who has been a pillar of our team since joining us in 2015, and we wish him all the best as he takes on a new challenge with St George’s Rugby Club.”

In a heartfelt and emotional departure message, Odhiambo expressed how difficult it was to leave a club that he considered his family. “Menengai Oilers has been more than a team, it has been my family. Leaving the Oilers after 10 years is probably the hardest decision I have had to make in recent years,” he shared on the club’s social media accounts.

“I actually thought that would be the last club I would be featuring for, but here we are, embracing an opportunity that life has provided. The memories, the battles, and the brotherhood will stay with me forever.”

Despite his departure, Odhiambo made it clear that his bond with the Oilers remains strong.

“I am grateful for every moment, and while I may be miles away, Oilers will always be home,” he added while thanking his teammates and the technical staff led by Coach Gibson Weru.

The timing of Odhiambo’s exit comes at a critical point for the club as they chase a place in the semi-finals of the ongoing Kenya Cup 2024/25 competition.