Newly elected Kenya Rugby Union (KRU) chairman Odur Gangla has instituted changes at the union with the involvement of women.
Wangui Kibe and Peris Mukoko are the new women in the union, who are known figures in rugby, having served the game at different levels over the years.
Mukoko is the first Kenyan woman to attain the World Rugby Match Officials’ Educator, while Kibe has been involved in the management of Safari Sevens since inception in 1996.
Mukoko vied as one of the directors during the KRU elections on March 20, but wasn’t successful.
Gangla said that he looks forward to their meaningful contribution to the sport, adding that there was room yet to co-opt people in the various board committees.
Gangla singled out former Kenya Lioness international forward, Angela Olum, who has been co-opted to the Women Rugby Committee after she also failed in her bid to become a board member.
Kibe, in addition to the involvement in Safari Sevens, managed the KRU office when it was initially set up, handling fixtures, referees, media and national teams for a period of two years. She was the first Kenyan woman to attain the KRU Rugby Level 1 Coaching Award.
Kibe has a Business degree from Daystar University, as well as a Diploma in Professional Marketing from the Chartered Institute of Marketing
Mukoko, beyond being the first Kenyan female World Rugby Match Officials’ Educator and former test player, is an accredited member of the Kenya Rugby Referees Association (KRRA). She began playing at St Mary’s School before joining Kenya Harlequin and then moving to Stanbic Mwamba.
Mukoko has various rugby technical qualifications in her in-depth involvement of over a decade.
Mukoko has been a government officer, for the last five years. She also has had some experience at ICON Sports Marketing. There, she handled premier sports events such as the Barclays Kenya Open and “Road to Anfield” competition. The latter was a partnership between Liverpool FC and Standard Chartered Bank.
Mukoko is a graduate of Catholic University of Eastern Africa, where she was a founder member of the Catholic Monks RFC. She is currently pursuing an MBA in Strategic Management at the University of Nairobi.
Additional information Daily Nation