Kisumu RFC suffered a major blow ahead of their Kenya Cup return after head coach Lawrence Buyachi resigned.

The club’s secretary Jaycox Mwavali confirmed the resignation of Buyachi on Monday. He said assistant coach Fabian Olando will take charge of the team in an acting capacity.

“Kisumu RFC and head coach Lawrence Buyachi have mutually agreed to part ways. Kisumu RFC wishes to acknowledge the immense contribution Buyachi brought to the club and we wish him success in his next assignment,” Mwavali said in a statement.

He added: “The management has appointed Olando to take up the mantle of head coach in an acting capacity as we seek a suitable replacement. Olando is not new to Kisumu RFC since he has been Buyachi’s assistant.”

Mwavali said Olando brings immense experience and contribution since guiding Kisumu RFC to a 10th-place finish in the National Sevens Circuit.

Buyachi, the former Kenya 15’s international, joined Menengai Oilers as a strength and conditioning coach. Mwavali said they will recruit a new coach in the next three weeks.

“An advert will be out by Tuesday afternoon. We want to take a maximum of three weeks to recruit a coach ahead of Kenya Cup return. We want a coach with Level Two qualifications and somebody with a forwards bias because Olando is a backs coach,” said Mwavali.

The Secretary-General added that having experience in the Kenya Cup is an added advantage. 

The club has beefed up their squad by signing nine players. The new names include John Ochar (back), Nelson Omukaba (forward), Kevin Omondi (prop), Steve Otieno (lock), Beverly Okumu (back), Maurice Osano (centre), Stephen Kabasa (fly-half), Reinhart Aloro (back-row), and Cornel Byron (lock).

The new signings are expected to be paraded during the second edition of Lake Victoria 15’s pre-season tournament which kicks off this weekend.