🏉 HSBC SVNS 2 Comes to Nairobi — Valentine’s Weekend. What women should expect from men in the next 64 days
#EverySinnerHasAFuture #EverySaintAPast : Same Monkeys DifferentForest- Dec Editon
Some announcements whisper.
This one walked in, removed its coat, and sat on the couch like it pays rent.
Valentine’s Weekend.
Global Sevens.
Kanairo.
For those who know… you can only say: Wueh!!
The universe has assembled everyone for roll call,
and the first name called:
NAIROBI.
December Always Knew Something Was Coming
There’s a certain restlessness Nairobi gets in early December.
People pretend they’re calm…
but their eyes betray them:
A little too shiny
A little too tired
A little too “let me check my balance first”
December is never soft.
But this year… something feels different.
Like the country is inhaling.
And then Shiko happened.
Shiko, Our Unofficial Economic Analyst and Barlady
Shiko runs a smoky wineshop/mtaa bar-lounge in Shabaab, Nax Vegas.
No drinks menu —
just quarters, halves, and two big Keg drums.
No drama —
just hot Keg, diluted chrome, and warm gossip.
But when diaspora landed?
She upgraded overnight:
José Cuervo Gold
José Cuervo Silver
Tanqueray
A brand-new PDQ that takes Mastercard, Visa, CashApp… and title deeds
A blender that sounds like a helicopter
One night she asked a waitress:
“Anataka gold ama silver?”
That’s when I knew Kenya had entered a new economic era.
Diaspora dollars don’t knock.
They enter like family.
And they talk loudly —
after all, they’ve been around all year through Sendwave, WorldRemit and M-Pesa Global.
Now they are here in the flesh.
Diaspora:
$ 4.94 billion 2024
$ 7.75 billion until November 2025 tracking to a trillion
We can safely say an additional Ksh 650 million this Decemeber
Na wametuletea hizo dooo hehe
One night, two diaspora guys at her counter argued in American accents sprinkled with 2010 Sheng:
“Bro… Nairobi is hosting Sevens on Valentine’s weekend.”
“Hatukuji Krisi next year. Sevens lazima. We are booking PAP.”
Shiko froze mid-pour and looked at me.
“Ni ukweli?”
I gave her the sign.
Something shifted behind her eyes.
World Rugby Dropped a Grenade Casually
Somewhere between the blender overheating
and diaspora debating flight prices,
I showed them the World Rugby announcement that flipped Kenya’s calendar:
HSBC SVNS 2.
Nairobi.
14–15 February 2026.
Valentine’s Weekend.
This is not a fixture.
This is a festival disguised as rugby.
Safari Sevens Is the Tournament.
Sherehe Sevens™ Is the Culture.
Kenya corner comes home.
Safari Sevens is official.
Respected.
Beloved.
Ours.
We honour it.
But this 2026 Valentine’s Sevens has a different energy:
Nairobi energy.
Askofu wa Kayole preparing his sermon & camera
The Archbishop of the Exiles packs his bags
JahJuok dusts himself with the nyama choma ash
Soft-life meets steel bodies.
Diaspora meets Aluta.
Romance meets rent.
At some point, Nairobi will baptise it with its true cultural name:
Sherehe Sevens™.
Not a brand.
Not a campaign.
Just Nairobi doing what Nairobi does —
naming things properly.
Let’s Talk Numbers. Quietly.
(We don’t want to frighten anyone.)**
Sometimes you look at data and pause.
Then read it again.
Then confirm it’s not a typo.
Dubai 7s
120,000 fans
USD 30–40 million injected
Cape Town 7s
90,000 fans
R400–600 million injected
KSh 3–5 billion
Now Kenya: The revelation that is Sports Tourism:
CHAN was a dress rehearsal
SVNS is the Wedding
Nairobi SVNS — SalesFundiKE Projection
30,000–45,000 fans
KSh 1.5–2.5 billion weekend
Peak Valentine’s
Peak sports tourists
Peak Nairobi
The city that does not sleep just added another shift.
The 64-Day Runway: December → February
December is the madness.
January is the recovery.
February is the moment.
That’s the runway —
even if people don’t realise they’re on it.
December teaches you your limits
January teaches you humility
February gives you a chance to redeem yourself
A perfect rhythm for “Every Sinner Has a Future Month.”
Somewhere in that cycle,
Shiko decided she was done playing small.
Shiko Cashes In — and plans to relocate to Nairobi
She told me this quietly, wiping a glass:
“If the world is coming to Nairobi… I’m also coming.”
We sat and planned. Cash in on December sales.
I’ll help her find a spot around Toi Market:
GIN & JUICE — A Sherehe Sevens™ Lounge
Her menu:
Lemons, Ice, Paper cups
Quarters, Halves,Mzingas
“Shangwe na Vigelegele” shots
(Tabasco included. Prayer optional.)
Her new POS already complains.
Her blender was baptised last week.
And she’s raising capital for a tent outside —
because she heard that’s how Nairobi does events.
If Shiko can see opportunity…
what about the rest of us?
What Women Should Expect From Their Men: (over the next 64 days)**
This part writes itself:
He will go to the gym.
He won’t say it’s because of Sevens.
But it is.
He will talk about budgeting.
He won’t follow it.
But he means well.
He will promise a Valentine’s surprise.
The surprise is probably RFUEA Grounds
He will do mental math quietly in the car.
Don’t interrupt.
He is negotiating with himself.
He will act calm.
But his eyes will be shining.
That’s how men show excitement.
He will claim he’s going “for the sport.”
We both know it’s the atmosphere.
And please —
when he starts rehearsing chants in the mirror…
pretend not to see.
It keeps him young.
A Soft Salute to the Ladies
Thank you.
Truly.
For carrying Christmas, January,
and now this Valentine’s Sevens thing
with a level of grace that deserves airplay.
Thank you for letting men be excited —
even when they don’t know how to explain it properly.
You make the nation work.
Nairobi Is Warming Up
Diaspora is checking flights.
Bars are upgrading sound.
Naivasha is pretending to mind its business.
Gyms are full of men rediscovering their knees.
KRU is polishing its boots.
Shops are adjusting Valentine’s pricing silently.
Shiko is buying bundles for her POS
and whispering:
“Valentine’s will sort itself.”
Somewhere between December and February,
a beautiful madness is gathering itself.
Sherehe Sevens™ is coming.
And Nairobi…
TUKO TAYARI !!
If your sales team, organisation, bar, brand, county, or board wants to understand how to prepare for the December → Sevens → Valentine’s economy,
you can reach me quietly here:
👉 salesresourceafrica.co.ke/contact-us
https://salesresourceafrica.co.ke/contact-us/
Small confession. I wrote that piece like all of you played number 8 at some point. Clearly not everyone breathes rugby like some of us lost causes.
So yes , I’ll be adding short explainers going forward. No one gets dropped from the squad.
Walioniita nyuma ya tent.Thanks for calling it out.
Hapo mko juu. Jah bless...
Hehehehehe... Not everyone I dersta ds our rugby jeruslaema jargon. You will need to issue an explainer... Some of your diehard fans are surely floating... 😅😅😅 But Mimi... I'm loving it and about to drop my #ShereheSevens Series Write-up... We can't wait for KRU to promote our event. Hehehehehe... Tuko kwa runway!