New dawn as KCB names Oliver Mang'eni acting head coach

Newly appointed KCB head coach Oliver Mang’eni. [Courtesy,KCB Rugby]

KCB Rugby FC has appointed former Kenya Simbas star Oliver Mang’eni as acting head coach following the departure of the experienced tactician Curtis Olago.  

Olago, who joined KCB in 2008 as player before transitioning to management in 2011 will leave the club following the expiry of his contract at the end of August, marking an end to his 13-year illustrious tenure as the Head Coach.

Mang’eni, 36 , who is the current lineout coach for KCB, played for the bankers for 12 years from 2010 up until deciding to hang up his boots at the end of the 2022 Kenya Cup season. He also played for Shujaa in the 2014/2015 season under Paul True.

KCB RFC Patron Japheth Achola said: “It’s a new dawn for the Club. We have complete faith in Oliver and believe his extensive experience and deep understanding of the club makes him the perfect candidate to lead the team at this important time.”.

“We thank Olago for his service to the Club. He has been instrumental in positioning KCB Rugby as a top club in the local rugby scene and has played a pivotal role in the development of the sport in the country. We wish him all the very best in his future coaching career.”

Mang’eni, a serial winner, won the Kenya Cup a record five times – 2015, 2017,2018,2019 and 2022. He won the Enterprise Cup on three occasions – 2015, 2016 and 2017. He has five floodlit titles under his belt – 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, and 2019.

“Olishe,” as he is famously known, won two consecutive National Sevens Circuit titles in the 2013/2014 and 2014/2015 seasons. He won Rugby Africa Cup 2013 and was part of the world cup qualifiers squad that missed out on the World Cup qualifications on point difference in 2014.

He also won the Rugby test against Hong Kong, Portugal, and Spain in the 2015/2016 Season. Represented Kenya in the Repechage in France 2018 and played in the Currie Cup Division 1 in 2022 under Paul Odera.