NAIROBI, Kenya, May 25, 2026 – Kenya Rugby Union (KRU) chair Harriet Okach has been applauded for transforming the country into a destination of rugby events.
Rugby Africa chair Herbert Mensah says Okach, who took the reins at KRU in May last year, has enhanced Kenya’s profile as the go-to hub for hosting major competitions.
“The business of sport is critical for me. I sit as the chief marketing officer as I call myself rather than the president. Rugby Africa can only survive when we have presidents like Harriet and Harriet really has transformed the relevance and importance of Kenya. We have to be able to win off the field in order to win on the field and for rugby Africa that means that our hosting models have changed,” the Ghanaian said.
The president further said Okach has followed closely in the footsteps of neighbouring Uganda, which has hosted a number of major rugby events in the past.
“We’ve already seen what her neighbours the mighty Ugandans under Godwin are doing. We hosted the AGM there and we’ve hosted tournaments there but Kenya is now coming to the fore and I say Harriet, ‘thank you,” Mensah said.
Indeed, in less than a year, Kenya has hosted the Africa Women’s 7s at the RFUEA Grounds in November.
Hot on the heels was the first leg of the World Rugby 7s Division 1 at the Nyayo Stadium in February, this year.
Come May and South Africa, Uganda and Madagascar have trooped to Nairobi to compete with the hosts at the Africa Women’s Rugby 15s Cup at the RFUEA Grounds.
This is the first time Kenya are hosting the continental showpiece, which began on Saturday (May 23) onwards until May 31.
Mensah reveled in the gigantic strides the annual tournament has made even as the individual participants continue to transcend boundaries.
The supremo’s ultimate dream is to expand the competition into at least a six-team one, a desire he believes is on course.
“What for me makes it even more interesting is that we’re still in transition. South Africa clearly have made huge leaps and bounds but we’ve seen what’s happening in Kenya and we’ve seen what’s happening in Uganda and the mighty Madagascans are having to really pull out all their stops to stay up there. We must eventually evolve into a six-team tournament and then an eight-team tournament as the rest of Africa tries to pull ahead,” he said.
Matchday Two of the competition is set for Wednesday (May 27) at the RFUEA Grounds with defending champions South Africa facing Uganda before Kenya Lionesses go hunting against Madagascar.
