Collins Injera on significance of Mwamba lifting maiden Championship title

Mwamba RFC capped their return to the Kenya Cup in fitting fashion after edging JKUAT Cougars 34-33 in a pulsating KRU Championship final played at a packed Goan Institute on Saturday, 9 May 2026.

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The victory crowned Kulabu as 2026 KRU Championship winners and completed a successful campaign that also secured their promotion back to the Kenya Cup after a season away from the top tier.

Mwamba had booked their place in the final after a commanding 41-26 semifinal victory over Catholic Monks Rugby, while JKUAT Cougars reached their maiden Championship final by thrashing Homeboyz RFC 40-9 in the other semifinal.

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Both semifinal wins also guaranteed the two teams automatic promotion to the Kenya Cup, with Saturday’s final delivering exactly the spectacle expected between two in-form sides.

Mwamba carried a narrow 20-15 lead into halftime before surviving a fierce second-half push from the university side to hold on for victory in front of a packed crowd at Goan.

At the centre of Mwamba’s control was flyhalf Charles Kuka, whose influence in the number 10 role proved instrumental. Kuka dictated play with maturity, managed territory effectively, and slowed or accelerated the game whenever his side required composure.

JKUAT Cougars, however, demonstrated why they are regarded as one of the rising university sides in Kenyan rugby. The students played with intensity throughout, relying on their superior conditioning and relentless pace to keep pressure on Mwamba until the final whistle.

Ultimately, though, Mwamba’s experience in big matches carried the day.

Captained by Brian Mutugi, the side leaned on seasoned decision-making in critical moments to navigate a tense finish and secure the club’s first-ever Championship title.

Watching animatedly from the sidelines was Mwamba and Kenya Sevens legend Collins Injera, alongside rugby greats such as Lavin Asego and Humphrey Khayange.

Speaking after the match, Injera emphasised the importance of the result for the club’s future.

“It was very important for the boys to go into the Kenya Cup with that confidence that we can do it. The club has never had a Championship trophy.

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We just wanted to win the Championship trophy, and I am happy the boys have done this on their own without any big figures. Hopefully they stay together and keep fighting as a team,” said Injera.

The former Shujaa star also praised the growth of university rugby in Kenya.

“Congratulations to JKUAT for qualifying for the Kenya Cup because university sides like JKUAT, CUEA Monks and Strathmore Leos are playing some top rugby,” he added.

For Mwamba, the win marks the return of one of Kenya’s historic rugby institutions to the top flight with silverware in hand. For JKUAT, despite the heartbreak, their promotion and run to the final confirmed their arrival as a serious force in Kenyan rugby.