Asiko Owiro joins KRU top job race

In this file photo, former Safari Sevens tournament director Asiko Owiro (left) and Auka Gacheo during a past press briefing. Owiro has declared his interest in Kenya Rugby Union chairmanship elections set for March, 2019. PHOTO | FILE

What you need to know:

  • Omwela will not be seeking re-election during KRU Annual General Meeting in March when the chairmanship seat, that has now attracted four contenders, will be up for grabs.
  • Owiro, who was a director and acting KRU treasurer during George Kariuki’s tenure that ended in 2003, said he is the right person to turn around the country’s dwindling rugby fortunes both in management and national teams.
  • “Not that I want to be critical to the current regime but rugby is in a dire state and we need to take the game back track and where it should be.”

Former Kenya Rugby Union (KRU) director Asiko Owiro has on Monday joined the race to succeed outgoing chairman Richard Omwela.

Omwela will not be seeking re-election during KRU Annual General Meeting in March when the chairmanship seat, that has now attracted four contenders, will be up for grabs.

Owiro, the former Kenya Commercial Bank (KCB) Rugby Club chairman, will challenge former KRU vice chairman Sasha Mutai and current KRU secretary general Oduor Gangla and director Ezekiel Owuor.

Owiro, who was a director and acting KRU treasurer during George Kariuki’s tenure that ended in 2003, said he is the right person to turn around the country’s dwindling rugby fortunes both in management and national teams.

The 54-year-old Owiro, who retired from Kenya Commercial Bank (KCB) where he was a director of logistics in June 2017, said his short term goal is to instil accountability at the union by putting in place politics that will ensure things are governed according to rules.

The former fondly known as Bobu in rugby circles will officially launch his bid on Tuesday at Nairobi Club. He hopes, when elected, to develop rugby across all the regions in the country.

“I think I am the only person now capable of calling the sponsors and other well-wishers back to rugby,” said Owiro, who played for Kenya at the 1987 Nairobi Africa Games.

“Not that I want to be critical to the current regime but rugby is in a dire state and we need to take the game back track and where it should be.”

Owiro, who was among the founding players at KCB Rugby Club in 1989, believes he has the required experience and credentials, having played rugby for Kenya Simbas, Mean Machine, Impala and later KCB as a fullback and winger.