KRU chairman Sasha Mutai threatens legal action against Raymond Olendo over alleged coup

KRU chairman Sasha Mutai threatens legal action against Raymond Olendo over alleged coup

Mark Kinyanjui 20:30 - 07.03.2025

KRU chairman Sasha Mutai threatens to sue Secretary General Raymond Olendo for forcefully attempting to jettison him from office.

Kenya Rugby Union (KRU) Chairman Alexander ‘Sasha’ Mutai has threatened to sue Secretary General Raymond Olendo and the KRU board following what he terms as an “attempted coup” to forcefully remove him from office.

The controversy stems from a hastily convened board meeting on Thursday evening which Pulse Sports had reported, during which the board announced Mutai’s “temporary suspension” from all union activities pending a governance review at the upcoming Annual General Meeting (AGM) on March 26, 2025.

Mutai, however, dismissed the suspension as unprocedural, asserting that such actions can only be executed through the Legal and Disciplinary Committee.

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"Today (on Thursday) an unprocedural meeting was called by Olendo in contravention of the KRU Constitution,” Mutai told Citizen Digital. “I’m not suspended, as it can’t be done by the board in that way.”

Through his advocates, Kipkenda & Company, Mutai has issued a demand letter to Olendo, accusing him of orchestrating the meeting and illegally issuing a motion of no confidence against him. The letter argues that the motion is time-barred, as it should have been submitted by March 2, 2025, to be valid for discussion at the AGM on March 24.

Mutai further criticized the board’s actions as high-handed, citing instances such as being blocked from accessing KRU bank accounts, his official email, and the board’s WhatsApp group.

 “Curiously, your unilateral decision to suspend our client... reeks of high-handedness and impunity and has had the effect of condemning our client unheard,” the letter reads.

The power struggle comes at a critical time for Kenyan rugby, with national teams preparing for key competitions. 

The women’s rugby 7s team is set to face Belgium in the Challenger Series, while the men’s 7s team will compete in Hong Kong later this month. The men’s 15s team is gearing up for the 2027 World Cup qualifiers in July, and the under-20 team, Chipu, is preparing to defend their Barthes Cup title.

Additionally, Mutai is scheduled to sign a sponsorship deal with East Africa Breweries Limited (EABL) for the Kenya Cup on Tuesday morning, further complicating the ongoing leadership wrangles.

As the AGM approaches, the fate of Mutai’s chairmanship hangs in the balance, with the board’s actions and his legal response likely to shape the future of KRU leadership.

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