Kenya’s most popular sport after football and athletics – rugby – under siege from corrupt officials, who are accused of pilferage at club and federation levels.

As a result, players and technical benches of national teams go for months without pay and allowances, which has in turn led a drop in performances during international matches.

Three member clubs of the Kenya Rugby Union (KRU) have issued a strong call for financial transparency in the sport’s governing body, demanding access to the union’s books of accounts amid growing concerns over mismanagement and lack of accountability.

In a joint press conference at the RFUEA Grounds in Nairobi, representatives from Moi University Arsonists RFC, Ngong Warriors Rugby Club, Kitale RFC and Meru Rugby Football Club disclosed that they had formally written to the KRU Chief Executive Officer requesting an inspection of the Union’s financial records under Clause 10.22.4 of the KRU Constitution.

The demand follows a Special General Meeting held on May 30, 2025, during which a motion of no confidence was tabled against the KRU Chairman, leading to his immediate resignation. Further, the meeting was swiftly followed by the Annual General Meeting (AGM), where the union’s financial statements were tabled and adopted despite an auditor’s disclaimer concerning the finances of national competitions.

Speaking on behalf of the clubs, Victor Wachira, chairman of Ngong Warriors RFC, stated that the clubs were acting well within their constitutional rights and that their concerns stemmed from a desire to safeguard the integrity and future of rugby in Kenya.

“We wrote formal letters to the Union requesting access to the books of accounts. Our requests were professional, constitutional, and submitted in good faith. However, despite acknowledgement of receipt, we have not received any response,” Wachira lamented.

According to the clubs, their request was communicated with a deadline of June 30, 2025. Yet, no official correspondence has been received from the KRU Secretariat or the CEO. They now demand that access to the records be granted and individual responses issued to each club by July 9, 2025.

Wachira observed that the silence from the KRU is a worrying sign of possible obstruction to the real situation of the union’s finances.

“This is not a political move or a personal vendetta. It is a principled call for transparency and financial integrity. The leadership must be accountable to the clubs and the wider rugby community,” he maintained.

The clubs also raised concerns over the deteriorating infrastructure for the sport in the country as well as the player’s welfare saying that the player’s voice is never heard as they have no player association.

Additionally, the clubs highlighted several key concerns that have emerged over the past two years, including persistent boardroom wrangles, allegations of mismanagement and corruption, declining performance of the national teams, and deteriorating player welfare.

“The events of May 30 only exposed deeper problems within the leadership. The adoption of accounts that were flagged by auditors was the tipping point,” Wachira said.

In what they described as a ‘rescue mission’ rather than a rebellion, the clubs called on other like-minded affiliates and stakeholders to join their call for accountability as they warned that failure by the KRU to respond by the set deadline will lead to further action.

“We will reconvene after July 9 to assess the situation and determine the next course of action. We remain hopeful that the Union will do the right thing and uphold its constitutional duty,” said Wachira.

Meanwhile, the call for financial scrutiny has added pressure to the KRU leadership, which is already under intense public and stakeholder scrutiny over governance issues.

The clubs made assurances of their commitment to rugby development, unity among clubs, and restoring trust in the Union as the National Seven’s circuit calendar closes in.

• A Tell Media / KNA report / By George Gerish

Several rugby club players hold a silent protest to demand for accountability at the RFUEA grounds and financial transparency within the sport’s governing body the Kenya Rugby Union (KRU) at the RFUEA grounds, Nairobi on Friday July 4, 2025.