Mwamba RFC mourn scrumhalf Michelle Alivatsa

In a statement, the club described Alivatsa as more than just a player, remembering her as a sister, friend, and an important member of the Mwamba family.

“We are deeply saddened to announce the passing of our scrumhalf Michelle Alivatsa, who sadly left us at 1:00 AM while receiving treatment,” read part of the statement.

The club paid tribute to her passion, dedication, and influence both on and off the rugby field, noting that her presence would forever remain in the hearts of teammates, supporters, and the wider rugby fraternity.

“Michelle was more than a teammate, she was a sister, a friend, and a valued member of the Mwamba RFC family. Her passion, commitment, and presence both on and off the field will forever remain in our hearts,” the statement added.

Michelle also featured for the Kenya Lioness, where she represented Kenya at the 15-a-side level having first earning her maiden call up in 2023.

Mwamba Ladies head coach Joseph Babu eulogized Alivatsa as a gifted and intelligent scrumhalf who made a lasting impact at the club.

"Mitchele joined Mwamba in 2021 from Hidden Talent RFC and quickly settled into the team, showing versatility across the backline but excelling mainly at scrumhalf due to her strong game understanding and decision-making."

Babu noted that she played a key role in Mwamba’s early title-winning seasons and was part of the core group that helped build the club’s winning culture.

"Mitchele helped the team winning the 2nd,3rd and 4th Kenya Cup title."

He added that despite later health challenges that affected her availability, she remained an inspiring figure within the squad.

"Towards the end of 2024/2025 season she complained of chest pains and could not feature in the recently concluded season since she was in and out of hospital."

Joseph Odindi described her passing as a huge loss not only to Mwamba RFC but to the wider rugby community.