Rugby Africa successfully concluded its 17th Annual General Meeting (AGM) on February 27, 2026, in Kampala, Uganda, marking a major shift in continental governance. Delegations from 32 Member Unions attended the assembly at Kabira Country Club to pass structural reforms and elect new leadership with the unanimous adoption of new for purpose constituency.
The event was attended by high ranking officials including Rugby Africa President Herbert Mensah and senior World Rugby representatives, signaling a unified approach to rugby’s growth across the continent.
Electoral Outcomes:
Treasurer Elected: Kevin Venkiah, President of Mauritius Rugby Union, was elected for a four year term.
Executive Committee Member Elected: Godwin Kayangwe, President of Uganda Rugby Union, was elected as EXCO Member, to fill the vacancy created by Venkiah’s move to the Treasurer role.
Constitutional Amendments Adopted
Delegates approved a comprehensive package of constitutional amendments, including:
- Official Identity Clarified: The organisation’s official name confirmed as “Rugby Africa,” with updated address provisions allowing flexibility for future changes by the General Assembly.
- Clear Definitions Introduced: Removal of outdated terminology and clarification of key terms including “Constitution,” “General Assembly,” “Executive Committee,” and “Members.” The distinction between calendar and working days was formalised. The term “Independent Member” was introduced.
- Regional Structure Revised: Previous “Anglophone” and “Francophone” divisions replaced with “North” and “South” regional groupings, aligning with World Rugby’s structure.
- Meeting Procedures Strengthened:
- Clear quorum requirements and voting rights formalised.
- Standardised timelines for circulation of agendas and minutes.
- Formalised process for secondment.
- Organisational Objectives Expanded: Inclusion of environmental sustainability, safeguarding and player welfare as formal objectives.
- Executive Committee Reform:
- EXCO size defined as 7–11 members (4 Officers, 1–5 Ordinary Members, 2 Independent Members).
- Introduction of two Independent Members appointed for their professional or business expertise to enhance oversight and credibility.
- Percentage-based gender diversity mechanism within EXCO and a gender balance safeguard for World Rugby Council representation.
- Aligned term limits for all EXCO and Independent Members.
- Automatic cessation of office if an EXCO Member no longer holds an elected position within their Member Union.
- New suspension mechanism for breaches of the Code of Conduct.EXCO decisions will primarily be reached by consensus. Where a vote is required, the outcome will be recorded as a unified EXCO decision rather than attributing individual votes, reinforcing collective responsibility and internal solidarity.
Outdated clauses relating to funding allocation and judicial processes were streamlined to reflect current operational structures. The reforms mark a significant step toward strengthened governance, transparency and long-term sustainability across Rugby Africa’s 40 Member Unions.
