Janet Okello © KRU
Janet Okello © KRU

Kenya Lionesses star Janet Okello signs for Japanese rugby side

Reading Time: 2min | Tue. 22.03.22. | 10:50

The Mwamba RFC captain is set to depart for Japan at the end of the month

Just days after helping her Mwamba RFC side become the inaugural women’s Kenya Cup champions, Kenya Lionesses ace Janet Okello is set to leave the club after completing a move to Japanese side MIE Pearls Women’s Rugby Football Club, Mozzart Sport can confirm.

At the end of the month, the 29-year-old winger is set to join the Yokkaichi City-based side on a year-long professional contract from the newly-crowned Kenya Cup champions.

In an interview, the player expressed her delight at finally getting the opportunity that will see her travel to play abroad for the first time in her career.

“I am excited for this opportunity that lies ahead. I had many offers before on my plate but I kept turning them down. Right now, I feel this is the right time to go and test myself in a league outside the country for the first time in my career,” the Mwamba captain told Mozzart Sport.

In another interview, the club’s Irish-Fijian manager Linda Shannon confirmed the acquisition of the player to the Japanese rugby side.

"Janet Okello has signed a professional full-time deal with MIE Pearls Women’s Rugby Club in Japan for a year. An exciting start for her and, hopefully, an inspiration to many younger Kenyan females to take up the sport of rugby,” she told Nation Sport.

Over the weekend, the two time Olympian led from the front as she helped her Mwamba side go down in the history books by clinching the first-ever women’s Kenya Cup title that involved six teams.

The captain scored a brace tries for Mwamba as they stunned pre-match favourites Impala Roans 15-11 final staged at the Impala Club in Nairobi.

Okello is poised to take over the national team captaincy duties from United Arab Emirates (UAE) national women team head coach Philadelphia Orlando.

Orlando was appointed as the new head coach of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) national team Emirati Women Rugby back in February.


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Janet OkelloKenya Lionesses

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