Kisumu and MMUST axed as Kabras top

Menengai Oilers players in Blue battles with Kabras Sugar RFC during the finals of the Great Rift 10 Aside at Nakuru Athletics Club in Nakuru City on April 20,2025.[Kipsang Joseph, Standard]

Kisumu and Masinde Muliro University of Science and Technology (MMUST) have been relegated from the Kenya Cup.

The two teams will play in the Kenya Rugby Union (KRU) Championship next season after a series of poor performances saw them finish in the bottom two.

Despite stunning Kenyatta University’s Blak Blad 9-8, Kisumu could not salvage their top-tier status after Impala defeated Nondescripts 17-13.

On the other hand, MMUST, who needed to win to keep their hopes of staying top alive, lost 25-18 to Nakuru RFC in Kakamega.

Before the regular season finale, Kisumu were bottom of the table with eight points, trailing MMUST, who were 11th with 10 points, and Impala, ninth with 12 points.

Impala’s victory pushed them to 16 points, meaning neither MMUST nor Kisumu can catch up with them.

Meanwhile, Kabras Sugar beat Menengai Oilers 27-13 to finish top of the Kenya Cup for the seventh straight season running.

The top spot means Kabras will not only book a home semi-final in the playoffs but also host the Kenya Cup final.

Kabras captain George Nyambua led the onslaught after scoring an early try converted by Erick Cantona for a 7-0 lead before Abdultwalib Wesonga responded with a penalty to trail 7-3.

Mathias Osimbo grounded the second try for the hosts for a 14-3 lead with Cantona adding the twos before Nyambua went over again for his brace and Kabras’ third try to lead 19-3.

Oilers reduced the gap through Fortune Arturo’s centre post try as Kabras took a comfortable halftime 19-10 lead at a rain-soaked ASK Showground in Kakamega.

Nyambua completed his hat-trick with another early try in the second half for 24-10 before Wesonga and Barry Young exchanged a penalty and a drop goal respectively for a 27-13 Kabras win.