Twelve Teams, Two Slots: High Stakes in the 2025/26 KRU Championship

The 2025/2026 KRU kicks off on 22nd November 2025, with 12 teams set to battle for the coveted two promotion slots to the Kenya Cup. Kenya Rugby powerhouse Mwamba will compete in the second tier, having been relegated from the top-flight league at the end of last season, alongside coastal side South Coast Pirates. 

Both teams have boosted their technical benches, with Mwamba securing Paul Murunga’s services and South Coast Pirates bringing Tony “Polisi” Khadambi on board.

The sides will hope that the head coaches’ expertise will spring them back to the Kenya Cup and see off the expected stiff competition in the Championship.

Mwamba “ Kulabu” begin their campaign against NYS Spades, a side making their debut in the KRU Championship. 

NYS’ rise has been meteoric, securing promotion to the second tier in just their second attempt. Under the guidance of Martin Munga as head coach, the Spades will be keen to compound their growing reputation by beginning on a high against Mwamba.

Kulabu, on the other hand, gave us a glimpse of what to expect with a relatively strong showing in the preseason at Floodies. 

They narrowly lost to Impala in extra time after drawing 21-all and lost 26-27 to Strathmore Leos in the fifth-place playoffs. 

The halfback pairing of Charles Chege at 9 and Eugene Ojambo at fly-half will play a pivotal role in steering Kulabu back to the Kenya Cup.

South Coast Pirates will have to wait a week longer to begin their title challenge after their clash against Kisii RFC was postponed. 

Kisii is making a comeback to the Championship after spending 5 years in the Nationwide league.

The Varsity Sides

Catholic Monks and Zetech Oaks will aim to go a step further after falling at the last hurdle last season. The Monks lost 29-10 to the Daystar Falcons, with the Oaks stumbling 46-9 to MMUST. 

Monks have Kenya Cup experience, and with a settled squad that includes seasoned veterans such as Hassan Wambani and Dennis Mulinge out wide, they have the capacity to mount a credible challenge for the title.

They face another varsity team, USIU-A Martials, in the season opener

Zetech lost Mike Wekesa to KCB, a significant blow to their front row and lineout, but coach Ramesfield Matekwa has retained a host of senior players, including Johnson Wafula and the mercurial Bryan Livoi. 

The Oaks square up against Western Bulls, a side whose financial constraints may derail their quest.

JKUAT Cougars and Homeboyz made it to the top six playoffs last season, and both have a genuine claim to Kenya Cup promotions. 

The Graveyard team has a battle-hardened and experienced side featuring Davis Masinga, Houston Omondi, and Mike Makau, whose experience will be vital in the high-stakes KRU Championship. 

Cougars coach, Smith Muhoya, is a shrewd tactician, and doubling down as a player-coach will enhance the Varsity side’s capacity.

The hurt of narrowly losing (7-3) to Zetech in the top six playoffs will fuel the JKUAT Cougars to roar and build on their Floodies success, where they were crowned the varsity category champions.

Cougars host Mombasa’s Dumes in the season-opening game, a side they dominated last season. 

Experience and Depth Vital

Homeboyz is a household name in the rugby ecosystem and will need to lock in and dig deep to replicate the success of the past years. The Deejays will rely on players like Patrick Mwakina and Masud Athman in their forward pack and the likes of Brayan Juma to finish opportunities in the backs if they are to mount a successful campaign.

They begin the season against Mean Machine, a side with a decorated history that will also be seeking to return to the Kenya Cup.

The 2025/2026 KRU Championship promises to be ultra-competitive, with many sides capable of winning the top two promotion spots. There is not much separating many teams, and the side with the most astute strategy and tactics will have an upper hand.

Execution will be key, and the margin for error will be slim for the teams. 8 of the 12 sides have Kenya Cup experience, and except for NYS, the other sides have competed in the Championship and will know what to expect.

Experience and depth will be determining factors, and the most resilient teams will edge ahead. At this stage, it is too close to call who gets promoted, but we can certainly expect an exciting and highly competitive league.