Kenya Rugby Union board has ended the season and has announced that the lower leagues – KRU Championship and Nationwide will have playoffs matches played before the 2020/21 season to determine who will be promoted to the top tier.
The decision is due to the format of the competitions which heads into the knock out stage after the regular season which means a winner cannot be picked as per the regular season results. The board has decided that no winner will be declared for the 2019/20 campaign across all leagues.
Kisumu and Western Bulls who had been relegated from the top tier and Kisii and Mombasa who had been relegated from the second tier will not survive relegation since their matches had been concluded.
A statement by KRU Honorary secretary Ian Mugambi reads: “In a full board meeting held on 01.10.2020 ,the Board resolved the following as listed below. Pursuant to Clause 13.1.2 of the KRU Regulations that gives the board the authority to amend competition rules during a season, it is decided that:-
“With the playoffs remaining to conclude the fixtures it is not possible to determine a winner. As such no winner will be declared across the various leagues. The results up to the last matches will however stand.”
“As we await the resumption of the leagues and activities, the Safe Return to Training Committee shall be activated in the following week to set up the protocols as we liaise with the Government on when the games can resume. The League and Fixtures Committee will come up with possible draft fixtures for the 2021 Season.”