Women are finally getting a seat at the table in the male-dominated field, a bold move that is dismissing male chauvinism. The Kenya Rugby Union has co-opted two women – Wangui Kibe and Peris Mukoko, into the Board of Directors with immediate effect with the chairman adding that there was room yet to co-opt people in the various Board committees.
Wangui Kibe, for instance, has been involved in the management of most of the Safari 7s tournaments since its inception in 1996, 23 years later. With a business degree from Daystar University, as well as a Diploma in Professional Marketing from the Chartered Institute of Marketing, she managed the KRU office when it was initially set up, handling fixtures, referees, media and national teams for a period of 2 years. She was the first Kenyan woman to attain the KRU Rugby Level 1 Coaching Award.
“We are keen to have a Board that reflects the spirit of rugby as a sport for all: men, women, boys, and girls. The two ladies have, through the quality of their Rugby contribution, and enduring commitment proved that they will add value to the governance of the sport. It’s a one-year co-option. They are strong Rugby persons in their own rights with achievements over the years. We look forward to their very meaningful contribution to the sport ” said Oduor Gangla, the KRU chairman
Ms. Wangui is currently employed at Safaricom in enterprise digital marketing. She joined Safaricom in 2010 to manage sponsorships. She has served as chairperson of Ungana (The Young Friends of AMREF), a non-profit organization. Ungana is a Kenyan youth volunteer and empowerment organization, under the auspices of AMREF – Africa’s largest health NGO. Other sporting associations she handled include Athletics Kenya and Kenya Lawn Tennis Association.
On the other hand, Peris a graduate of the Catholic University of Eastern Africa where she was a founder member of the Catholic Monks RFC was the first woman World Rugby Match Officials’ Educator and is a former Kenya international. She is an accredited member of the Kenya Rugby Referees Association (KRRA where she began playing at St. Mary’s School before joining Kenya Harlequin and then moving to Stanbic Mwamba.
Peris has been a government officer, for the last 5 years. She also has had some experience at ICON Sports Marketing. There, she handled premier sports events such as the “Road to Anfield” competition and Barclays Kenya Opens a partnership between Liverpool FC and Standard Chartered Bank.
She is currently pursuing an MBA in Strategic Management at the University of Nairobi.
