Gangla’s prescription for ailing Kenyan rugby
Oduor Gangla casts his vote during the KRU Elections on March 20, 2019 at the RFUEA grounds. Gangla polled 33 votes to become the new KRU chairman. PHOTO | CHRIS OMOLLO | NATION MEDIA GROUP
What you need to know:
- KRU resolved to go on with their Annual General Meeting despite efforts by the Ministry of Sports and Heritage to halt the elections.
- An impromptu KRU Board meeting on Tuesday night at RFUEA grounds resolved that the meeting, where elections for KRU chairmanship and three board members would take place, must go on as per the Union's constitution.
New Kenya Rugby Union (KRU) chairman Geoffrey Oduor Gangla has set his sights on reconstituting the union’s Board for efficient delivery.
Gangla said he will convene an executive committee meeting in a week’s time to reorganise all dockets with the aim of “ending persistent wrangles” in the Board.
Gangla, who is the outgoing Union secretary general, disclosed that he will concurrently engage both the 15s and sevens national teams and the teams’ management so as to bring sanity.
“I want to move first and fast to end the division between senior Kenya sevens players and the KRU Board and this will happen through my good and focused leadership,” said Gangla promised to engage the senior players who have resumed training after missing the last six legs of the IRB World Rugby Sevens Series over contractual issues.
“We really want them back for the last four legs,” said Gangla.
He vowed to champion the creation of corporate governance structures for a functional board besides improved communication with affiliates and their activities.
“As I promised, I will put in place a KRU Board Charter besides code of ethics for the Board and staff code of ethics,” said Gangla adding that he will actualise the 2017-2021 Strategic Plan with extensive stakeholder involvement in regard to regular meetings and close contact with affiliates.
Gangla was speaking upon being elected the new KRU chairman after garnering 33 votes to trounce his rivals - former vice chairman Sasha Mutai, who polled 20 votes, and former KRU treasurer Asiko Owiro, who managed a paltry two votes.
Gangla takes over from Richard Omwela.
The elections were held at the RFUEA grounds and were presided over by Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) official Martin Simatwa.
KRU resolved to go on with their Annual General Meeting despite efforts by the Ministry of Sports and Heritage to halt the elections.
An impromptu KRU Board meeting on Tuesday night at RFUEA grounds resolved that the meeting, where elections for KRU chairmanship and three board members would take place, must go on as per the Union's constitution.
“This decision is anchored upon clause 12.4 of the KRU constitution which provides that a duly constituted General Meeting can only be adjourned at that particular meeting," said Omwela while précising over the AGM at the RFUEA grounds.
Gangla had late on Tuesday indicated in a statement that the ministry had requested for the postponement so as to allow for a stakeholders meeting to sort out the problems in rugby before the election.
“I am humbled by the opportunity to serve the game at the highest level,” said the former Impala Saracens player and chairman.
