KRU Director of Rugby explains biggest challenge ailing Kenya Lionesses
Reading Time: 3min | Fri. 22.05.26. | 15:37
Odera says this imbalance has made it difficult to unlock the team’s potential fully, even as they prepare for the Rugby Africa Women’s Cup set for Saturday, 21 May, to Sunday, 31 May, at the RFUEA Grounds
Kenya Rugby Union (KRU) Director of Rugby and Pathway Manager Paul Odera has pointed to the lack of sponsorship in the 15-a-side women’s game as the biggest challenge facing the Kenya Lionesses.
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While Kenya’s sevens national teams, Shujaa and the Lionesses, enjoy established sponsorships- and the men’s 15s side, the Simbas are also backed commercially- the women’s 15s outfit continues to operate without a title sponsor.
Odera says this imbalance has made it difficult to unlock the team’s potential fully, even as they prepare for the Rugby Africa Women’s Cup set for Saturday, 21 May, to Sunday, 31 May, at the RFUEA Grounds.
“For our 15s girls, it has always been a challenge drawing in sponsors because most people always want to be associated with 7s. But as the Kenya Rugby Union, we have always done whatever it is that needs to be done to make sure that they prepare well.
Logistically, it is challenging because most of the girls come from different parts of the country, so it is quite expensive because when you bring them to Nairobi, you must house them, feed them, and compensate them. That is the logistical challenge,” Odera explained.
He added that while financial constraints continue to slow progress, the union has remained committed to ensuring the players are well supported in camp and preparation phases.
“Financially, it is not easy to pull in sponsors to come and support the women’s game. We do encourage anybody who is associated with women’s sports to actually look at the 15s side and see that it is a viable product that they can invest in,” he said.
Odera also praised the technical team for widening their talent identification process this season, moving beyond convenience-based selection in Nairobi to nationwide scouting.
“Credit to the technical team this year. They said that they were not going to leave any talented girl out of the team because, you know, the easiest thing would be to call up the ones who are in Nairobi, because they can be operating from home.
But this year, the technical team was in Western Kenya, Rift Valley; they even went to the school games to see who they could pick,” he noted.
Despite the persistent funding gap, Odera maintained that the union is focused on ensuring the Lionesses continue to perform and develop.
“Even with these challenges, we still give our girls the best opportunity to play their best,” he said.
The situation has reignited conversations around investment in women’s rugby in Kenya, with stakeholders increasingly questioning whether the 15s women’s game is receiving the recognition and commercial backing it deserves, despite its steady rise on the African stage.
Lionesses will start their Rugby Africa Cup campaign on Saturday, 23 May, against the Uganda Lady Cranes.