If there’s one thing Kenyan rugby never lacks, it’s drama. In 2025, the sport gave us dominance, near-misses, emotional wins, painful losses and the kind of off-field chaos that has, unfortunately, become familiar. From Kabras Sugar’s grip on domestic fifteens to the Lionesses being denied their place on the world stage, this was a year that reminded us why we care…and why we keep asking for better.
FIFTEENS
The Domestic Game
Kabras Sugar continued to set the standard in the Kenya Cup. In a nail-biting final played in Kakamega, they edged Menengai Oilers 27–26 to lift their fourth straight Kenya Cup title and fifth overall. They weren’t done there. Kabras completed the league and cup double by comfortably beating the Oilers 33–12 in the Enterprise Cup final, sealing their fifth Enterprise Cup crown.
At the other end of the table, history came to a sobering close. Mwamba RFC, ever-present in the Kenya Cup since their promotion back in 1999, were relegated after finishing 11th out of 12. For one of Kenya’s most storied clubs, it was a tough and emotional moment.
The women’s game, however, saw familiar dominance. Mwamba continued their reign by defeating Impala 10–5 to claim a fourth consecutive Women’s Kenya Cup title, underlining their status as the benchmark in the competition.
In the second tier, Daystar Falcons finally cleared what had been a stumbling block in recent years. A convincing 39–12 win over Masinde Muliro University in the KRU Championship final earned them the title, with both finalists securing promotion to the Kenya Cup.
Meanwhile, Kisii RFC and NYS Spades earned their way into the KRU Championship after reaching the Nationwide final. Kisii edged the Spades 25–24 in a thrilling decider to be crowned Nationwide champions.
On the International Stage
The Simbas’ quest for Rugby World Cup 2027 qualification ended in disappointment. At the Rugby Africa Cup in Kampala, Kenya beat hosts Uganda 32–24 in the quarterfinals, only to fall 29–23 to eventual champions Zimbabwe in the semifinals. A 15–5 loss to Algeria in the third-place playoff meant the Simbas finished fourth…drastically and embarrassingly short of their World Cup dream.
At U20 level, Chipu showed promise at the Rugby Africa U20 Barthes Trophy. Kenya picked up wins over Tunisia (29–21) and hosts Zimbabwe (21–20), but a 32–22 defeat to Namibia saw them finish second overall in the four-team round-robin tournament.
The Kenya Lionesses delivered another solid campaign in the Rugby Africa Women’s Cup. They opened with a 28–5 win over Madagascar, pushed South Africa hard in a narrow 19–12 defeat, and wrapped things up with a dominant 47–0 victory over Uganda to finish second.
SEVENS
Few stories in 2025 were as painful as that of the Kenya Lionesses in sevens. On the pitch, they were outstanding…winning back-to-back Challenger Series tournaments in South Africa and finishing third in the final leg in Poland to claim the overall Challenger Series title.
Off the pitch, everything unraveled. World Rugby’s last-minute decision to cut the HSBC Sevens Series down to eight teams per gender slammed the door shut on what should have been a historic qualification. The men’s side, Shujaa, were also caught out by the changes after finishing outside the new top eight.
Back on the continent, the Lionesses finished second at the Africa Women’s 7s in Nairobi, losing 22–0 to South Africa in the final. The Kenya Morans represented the country at the Africa Men’s 7s in Mauritius, finishing fourth overall.
There were still moments to celebrate at home. Both Shujaa and the Lionesses lifted Cup titles at the Safari 7s, giving local fans something to cheer.
At club level, KCB RFC reclaimed their place at the top of the National Sevens Circuit, holding off strong challenges from Strathmore Leos and dethroning defending champions Kenya Harlequin. In the women’s competition, Mwamba once again came out on top.
Coaching Uncertainty
The Lionesses’ season was also clouded by uncertainty off the field. Head Coach Dennis Mwanja was suspended in mid-September pending investigations into misconduct claims. By late December 2025, the suspension was still in place with no clear communication on the outcome. Simon Odongo continues to hold the fort as interim head coach, with the Kenya Rugby Union yet to confirm a long-term decision.
OFF THE PITCH
As has become almost predictable, Kenyan rugby’s biggest talking points didn’t always come from matchday.
In May, Sasha Mutai resigned as Kenya Rugby Union chairman ahead of a Special General Meeting at the RFUEA Grounds. His exit followed months of pressure, including a motion seeking his suspension over the alleged misappropriation of KSh 13.2 million through fraudulent invoices.
The resignation capped a long-running power struggle within the union, marked by accusations of conflict of interest, governance failures and disputes over term limits between Mutai and a faction aligned to KRU Secretary Ray Olendo. Attempts to resolve the standoff outside the courts failed, drawing in World Rugby, who raised serious concerns over governance, transparency and internal conflict.
One milestone did emerge from the fallout. Harriet Okatch was appointed the first female chairperson of the Kenya Rugby Union.
The drama, however, didn’t end there. The KRU attempted to block Mutai from taking up an elective position at the National Olympic Committee of Kenya (NOC-K). The move failed, and Mutai remains an executive member of NOC-K, where he currently chairs the High Performance Committee.
Final Word
Kenyan rugby in 2025 was messy, brilliant, frustrating and hopeful…often all at once. There was excellence on the field, clear progress in some areas, and painful reminders of how fragile the structures around the game still are. As the dust settles, the challenge remains the same: protect the gains, fix what’s broken, and give the players… who keep showing up…a system worthy of their talent.
English