- Dennis Mwanja has been appointed interim head coach of KCB Rugby, replacing outgoing coach Oliver Mang’eni.
- Mang’eni, who has been with the club for one season, will see his contract expire on Monday, June 30, while the changes take effect from Monday, May 26.
- Club Chairman James Mugo emphasized the decision, highlighting the need to revamp the team in order to reclaim its dominance and uphold its legacy in Kenyan rugby.
Kenya Lionesses head coach Dennis Mwanja has been named the interim KCB Rugby head coach, succeeding outgoing coach Oliver Mang’eni, whose contract officially expires on Monday, 30 June.
In a statement released by the club via their social media platforms, it was announced that the technical changes will take effect from Monday, May 26.
As part of the club’s strategic overhaul, backs coach Darwin Mukidza and team manager Priscilla Amollo Ong’ombe will also be departing, as KCB looks to rejuvenate its technical bench ahead of the 2025 National Sevens Circuit, set to begin in July.
KCB Rugby (KCB RFC) has appointed Denis Mwanja as interim Head Coach, replacing Oliver Mang’eni whose contract ends on June 30, 2025, in a round of changes to the technical bench. The changes, which take effect from May 26, will also see Backs Coach Darwin Mukidza, and Team Manager Priscilla Amollo Ong’ombe, leave the Club after the expiry of their contracts,” the club announced.
Club Chairman James Mugo underscored the decision, emphasizing the necessity of revamping the team to reclaim its dominance and uphold its legacy in Kenyan rugby.
We are looking at continually rebuilding the team to get back to winning ways. The Club seeks to continue contributing positively to the game of rugby in Kenya and sustain its position as a top tier playing club. Key to this is having a team that is ‘firing on all cylinders.’ After productive discussions with the coaching team, we have made a painful but aligned decision to make changes in the tech bench,” Mugo stated.
He further reiterated the club’s ambition to reclaim its former glory by targeting major domestic titles.
The Club remains a formidable force in the local rugby scene. Our ambition is to reclaim the Kenya Cup and Enterprise Cup titles as well as to continue churning out players to the national team. With that in mind, we have to ensure that we lay the right foundation for a successful future,” he added.
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KCB tough 2024/25 season
With the return of seasoned Kenyan internationals Samuel Asati, Floyd Wabwire, Festus Shiasi, and Vincent Onyala, who bring a wealth of experience from their recent stint with the Kenya Sevens team, Mwanja’s task is to steer the Bankers back to the pinnacle of Kenyan rugby.
The 2024/25 season has been a challenging campaign for the club.
In their pursuit of the Kenya Cup title, KCB were eliminated in the semifinals following a 31-8 defeat to Menengai Oilers, finishing third.
Their Enterprise Cup run also ended in the semifinals, narrowly losing 25-21 to Kabras RFC.
Additionally, they fell short in the Eric Shirley Shield (ESS) Cup final, succumbing once more to Menengai Oilers.
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