Little-known Kabaddi turns three Kenyans into millionaires

 Kabaddi players Photo: Courtesy

Kabaddi might be an unknown sport in Kenya, but it has already produced three millionaires.

David Shilisia, Simon Kabura and Felix Onyango have signed for clubs in India for two seasons, with each earning Sh1.6 million a month.

Shilisia has opted out of football to concentrate on the game that was introduced to Kenyans five years ago by Laventer Oguta, a former national women’s rugby player.

“I loved football but it could not put food on my table. I was forced to do away with it when my mother passed on. I took up a job as a watchman at View Park Towers in Nairobi so as to pay my bills and while I was there, I came to know of this game,” Shilisia says.

“I took it up wholeheartedly after being introduced to it by Oguta who was looking for an excellent stopper for the national team.”

Shilisia had been recruited by Jacob “Ghost” Mulee to join Liberty Professionals, the place where Kenya lead striker Michael Olunga was nurtured.

But from the moment he was introduced to Kabaddi, he quit football and his life has never been the same.

“I learnt a few things about the game and soon we were going for our first World Cup. Then Lady Luck smiled at me and I got an opportunity to play for Puneri Paltan in Pune city. Simon Kibura and Felix Onyango were signed by Patna Pirates in Patna city,” Shilisia says.

“It was a good deal because we played there for two seasons which earned us good money. For a person who was a watchman just a few years ago, at least I can say I am happy with the way my life has changed.

“I do not even miss football. I know by now I would still be struggling had I taken up football,” he says.

Pro-kabaddi is played in eight cities in a “caravan format” of teams traveling together to all the eight venues to play 56 league matches, two semifinals, one third and fourth position match and a Grand Finale, making a total of 60 matches.

It attracts 435 million television viewers in India over its five-week run. This makes it the second-most viewed sporting tournament in the country after the annual Indian Premier League Twenty20 cricket tournament, which in 2014, had 552 million viewers.

Kenya’s national kabaddi team was formed just days before the third edition of the circle style Kabaddi World Cup in 2012. A team was formed by selecting those who played sports such as rugby and taekwondo but had no idea what kabaddi was.

Laventer Oguta was looking for rugby videos on the internet and stumbled upon kabaddi videos and started conducting more research on the sport.

“It looked interesting,” she says. She then decided to travel to India to watch the game and learn a few more things about it.

“The Pro League was being played, so I went there on a fact-finding mission,” she says.

On her return, she started recruiting players and set up a national team.