
KRU appoints Thomas Odundo as CEO
Reading Time: 2min | Thu. 01.08.24. | 12:34
Under his watch, the Kenya Lionesses 15s team qualified for the inaugural WXV3 tournament in 2023.
The Kenya Rugby Union (KRU) board has appointed Thomas Odundo as the Chief Executive Officer (CEO). Odundo, who had been serving in an acting capacity, was confirmed in a decision that took effect in July 2024.
Before his appointment, Odundo was the Director of Rugby at KRU for the last eight years, overseeing operations within the national teams' setup as well as the local leagues and tournaments.
He has a comprehensive understanding of the sport, having received his Level One and Level Two coaching certificates in 1998 and 2001, respectively.
Odundo coached the Kenya Simbas between June 2004 and June 2006. During this period, the Kenya Simbas moved from position 49 to 37 in the then-IRB World Rankings and qualified for the second round of World Cup qualifiers for the first time.
As Director of Rugby, Odundo oversaw the Kenya Sevens qualification for the Tokyo and Paris Olympic Games. He also led the Kenya U20 team to victory in the 2019 and 2024 Barthes Trophies, qualifying for the World Rugby U20 Trophy on both occasions, held in Brazil and Scotland, respectively. Under his watch, the Kenya Lionesses 15s team qualified for the inaugural WXV3 tournament in 2023.
"I'm grateful to the KRU board for showing confidence in me and will do the job to the best of my ability. Being from within the setup, I fully understand the environment and am under no illusions about the task at hand. I will rely on the support of the able secretariat, the board, as well as all Kenyans who love the game of Rugby—the fans, spectators, clubs, players, match officials, all technical persons involved, as well as sponsors, and the Government of Kenya, who greatly enable the game to be played. Thank you very much," said Odundo.
He is also a certified coach Educator with a Bachelor of Science degree in Mathematics from the University of Eastern Africa, Baraton. He also has extensive experience as an ICT practitioner, having worked for various companies.









.jpg)



