Harriet Okach has been named the new chairperson of the Kenya Rugby Union (KRU) following the resignation of Alexander ‘Sasha’ Mutai on Friday, May 30, 2025, at the RFUEA Grounds.

“I’m humbled to be entrusted with this position,” said Harriet in her first statement after being appointed. “Thank you to the affiliates, KRU Board, and stakeholders for your support. Sports unites, so please let us all come together in growing this game that we all love. Asante sana.”

The KRU Board met on Wednesday, June 5, 2025, and unanimously agreed to appoint Harriet to serve the remainder of the current term. The decision comes at a time when the Union is working to rebuild trust and stability within the sport after recent internal challenges.

Harriet is not new to the game. She first joined the KRU Board in 2023 after receiving the highest number of votes at that year’s Annual General Meeting.

Before joining the national board, she was the Honorary Treasurer of Kisumu RFC.

Most recently, she served as the Director of Marketing and Commercial at KRU, where she led campaigns to raise the profile of rugby in Kenya and bring in new sponsors.

Harriet brings over 15 years of experience in both the public and private sectors. She is also part of World Rugby’s Impact Beyond 2025 project, which selected 12 African women to help promote rugby and use the sport to address social issues.

Through Kenya’s ‘Unstoppable Rugby for Change’ initiative, she has supported programmes that use rugby to fight gender-based violence and promote education for girls.

New leadership

Her appointment comes at a critical juncture for Kenyan rugby. The women’s national sevens team, the Lionesses, earned promotion to HSBC SVNS Division 2 for the 2026 season after a 17-14 victory over South Africa in the promotion/relegation playoffs at the HSBC SVNS World Championship in Los Angeles in May 2025.

The Lionesses, who won the 2024 Safari Sevens women’s title, are preparing to compete in the 2025 Safari Sevens (October 10–12, 2025, Nairobi) to build momentum for their Division 2 campaign. Women’s rugby in Kenya has grown significantly, with several women’s clubs now active and increased participation in sevens tournaments.

The men’s sevens team, Shujaa, will also compete in HSBC SVNS Division 2 in 2026 after securing a 24-5 win over Canada in the Los Angeles playoffs, following a challenging 2024–2025 season that included a Cup final appearance in Singapore (lost 21-12 to Fiji).

The national 15s team, the Kenya Simbas, is currently touring South Africa to prepare for the 2027 Rugby World Cup qualifiers and the Rugby Africa Cup. At the grassroots level, local clubs face ongoing issues with funding and match scheduling consistency.