Mang’eni, 36, who currently serves as KCB's lineout coach, enjoyed a 12-year playing career with the team from 2010 until his retirement at the end of the 2022 Kenya Cup season.
KCB Rugby FC has announced the appointment of former Kenya Simbas legend Oliver Mang’eni as the acting Head Coach, following the departure of Curtis Olago. Olago, who joined KCB in 2008 as a player before transitioning to coaching in 2011, will be leaving the club at the end of August when his contract expires, concluding a remarkable 13-year tenure as Head Coach.
Mang’eni, 36, who currently serves as KCB's lineout coach, enjoyed a 12-year playing career with the team from 2010 until his retirement at the end of the 2022 Kenya Cup season. He also represented Kenya's national sevens team, Shujaa, during the 2014/2015 season under coach Paul Treu.
KCB RFC Patron Japheth Achola expressed confidence in Mang’eni's ability to lead the team, stating, "This is a new chapter for the club. We have full confidence in Oliver, whose extensive experience and deep connection with the club make him the ideal candidate to guide the team through this important transition."
Achola also acknowledged Olago's contributions, saying, "We are grateful for Curtis's dedication to the club. He has played a key role in establishing KCB Rugby as a top team in the local rugby scene and has significantly contributed to the development of the sport in Kenya. We wish him all the best in his future coaching endeavors."
Mang’eni is a highly decorated player, having won the Kenya Cup five times (2015, 2017, 2018, 2019, and 2022), the Enterprise Cup three times (2015, 2016, and 2017), and five Floodlit titles (2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, and 2019).
Fondly known as "Olishe," he also led KCB to consecutive National Sevens Circuit titles in the 2013/2014 and 2014/2015 seasons. Internationally, he was part of Kenya’s squad for the 2014 Rugby Africa Cup and the 2018 Repechage in France. Additionally, he played in the Currie Cup Division 1 in 2022 under coach Paul Odera.