The Kenya Rugby Union have appointed Harriet Okach as new chairperson following Alexander "Sasha" Mutai's resignation last weekend.
The Kenya Rugby Union have made history by appointing Harriet Okach as new Chairperson to serve the remainder of the term following the resignation of Alexander ‘Sasha’ Mutai on May 30, 2025.
Okach was appointed following a meeting convened on June 5 2025 by the board, who unanimously chose her to serve in the position for the remainder of the term.
Okach was serving as the director of Marketing and Commercial since 2023, leading efforts to grow the Kenyan game’s visibility while attracting new partnerships, and received the highest number of votes during the special election by the board.
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Speaking following her appointment, Okach was beyond ecstatic about her promotion, pledging to do everything in her power to continue growing the sport.
“I’m humbled to be entrusted with this position. Thank you to the affiliates, KRU Board, and stakeholders for your support,” she told Kenya Rugby Union.
“To our secretariat and the playing component, thank you for focusing on keeping the game going in spite of all the turmoil.
“To our fans and all stakeholders, Sports unites, so please let’s all come together in growing this game that we all love. Asante sana.” said Harriet.
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About Harriet Okach
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Prior to her election as a board member in 2023, she served as the Honorary Treasurer of Kisumu RFC.
Beyond rugby, Harriet is a respected entrepreneur and communications strategist with over 15 years of experience working across the public and private sectors.
Harriet also represents Kenya on the global stage, having been selected as one of 12 African women for World Rugby’s Impact Beyond 2025 legacy project.
Kenya’s grassroots initiative, Unstoppable Rugby for Change, is using the power of rugby to tackle gender-based violence and promote girl-child education in underserved communities.
What Went Wrong During Mutai's Tenure?
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Alexander ‘Sasha’ Mutai’s tenure as KRU Chairman began in March 2023 but was marked by internal power struggles, legal wrangles, and deep factionalism. The instability prompted warnings from World Rugby, which raised the possibility of sanctions if governance issues were not resolved.
Despite these challenges, Mutai remained focused on development. On May 24, 2025, he helped secure the return of Kenya Airways as a sponsor for the Kenya Simbas, with a Ksh 15 million deal.
Earlier, on November 26, 2024, he played a pivotal role in landing a Ksh 100 million sponsorship from Safaricom’s M-Pesa for both the Kenya Lionesses and the men’s sevens team—the first time the women’s team secured such a significant backing.
He also facilitated the return of SportPesa as Shujaa sponsors and brought Crown Paints on board as co-partners.
While Mutai made major strides in securing funding and sponsorship, his term was ultimately overshadowed by leadership turmoil and persistent governance issues—challenges that continue to affect the future of Kenyan rugby.