To her opponents and teammates at the national women’s hockey team, and former team mates at the defunct Kenya Hockey Union (KHU) women’s league team Inter-Capitale Hockey Club forward, Judith Amwayi, was a burst of speed who decided the outcome of matches.
The 53-year-old, who ruled Kenya’s hockey fields in the 1990s, died on February 14 in Duchess, southern Alberta, in Canada, leaving behind fond memories of a career defined by passion, commitment, blistering pace, and eye for goal.
The University of Alberta in Canada, where she served as Assistant Registrar in Admissions section, honoured her by flying its flag at half-mast from February 26 to March 2.
KHU also paid a glowing tribute to the former lethal forward, saying: “her dedication to, and love for the game will always be remembered by the hockey community.”
Amwayi's remains were expected back in Kenya on Thursday, March 5, 2026, according to her elder brother Jam Amwayi.
A memorial service will be held on Friday, March 6, 2026 at the All Saints Cathedral in Nairobi from 10am. The alumnus of Pangani Girls High School in Nairobi, and Kenyatta University is survived by her husband Todd Odhuno and two sons. She will be laid to rest on Saturday at Nyangulu Village in Gem Ramula, Siaya County.
Born in a sporting family, Amwayi’s illustrious hockey career began in 1987 at Pangani Girls High School as a student. Despite her slim physique, she outshone many of her teammates, becoming a key squad member of Pangani Girls High School, Inter-Capitale, Kenyatta University, and the national women’s hockey team.
Amwayi, who was fondly known as “Jolie” featured for the Kenya women’s hockey team from 1989 to 1999, a decade during which the country achieved several milestones. She represented Kenya at the 1993 Women’s Hockey Junior World Cup in Terrassa, Spain, and won gold medal with Kenya at the Africa Women’s Hockey Junior World Cup qualifier tournament in Nairobi in 1992.
The late Judith Amwayi played for Kenya's national hockey team.
Photo credit: File | Nation Media Group
Amwayi also won silver medal with the Kenyan team at the 1988 Women’s Field Hockey Africa Nations Cup in Harare, Zimbabwe. Amwayi was also in the Kenyan team that won bronze medals at the sixth All Africa Games in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe in 1995, and at women’s Hockey Africa Cup of Nations in Harare in1990.
“She was multi-talented player who excelled both in sports and academics,” said Jam, who played for many local football clubs, including at the defunct Black Mamba FC. Jam also represented Jamhuri High School in the sprints at school games. Their brothers Philip (now deceased) and Patrick played football, while their sister Pamela is a retired an athlete.
On Thursday, Amwayi’s former teammate at both Inter-Capitale, and at the national team, Carol Mugadi, spoke at length of Amwayi’s exceptionally talent. Mugadi, who also played as a forward, said Amwayi played as a winger, but her role in the team depended on the format of play for the day.
Thanks to her swift pace and powerful shots, she was the player designated to take short corners, both for club and country.
“Because she was a very fantastic player both for the club and national team, whenever a squad was named, you always knew that she was on the list,” Mugadi stated.
“She was small in stature but very efficient. She was the one who used to take the short corners because she was capable of delivering very hard hits. Her swings were accurate, and she would always connect well with the ball, so it moved with a lot of power,” she added.
Mugadi recalls Amwayi’s passion and dedication to the sport, noting that during school holidays, the player would attend Inter-Capitale training sessions at Jamhuri High School before she got the chance to join the club.
Mugadi said that because of Amwayi’s “baby face”, many younger players felt at ease with. In turn, she became their role model in hockey.
“Because she was small in stature but very talented, she inspired many players. A lot of people looked up to her. Whenever she came back to Kenya, she always met the younger players to motivate them,” Mugadi said, adding that the late Amwayi was also a very neat player.
Hellen “Chemo” Chemtai, who was Amwayi’s teammate at Pangani Girls High School, Inter-Capitale and at the national team, said that apart from her exceptional talent, Amwayi was a unifying figure in the team.
“She was a swift dribbler and a lethal forward who scored very many goals,” Chemtai said. “She was one of those players who would bring all of us together whenever we disagreed,” said Chemtai, adding that Amwayi was her main rival in the sprints at the school.
Amwayi’s warmth extended beyond Inter-Capitale and the national team. Vivian Agunda who played for Sliders Hockey Club, which was the main rival to Inter-Capitale, says Amwayi was always friendly to them despite the rivalry.
Front from left: Inter-Capitale players Molly Ayiemba, Peris M'Anampiu, Betty Mwangi, Wanjiru Gachicha, Caroline Kitur, Vicky Kaddu, Elizabeth Ruttoh and Monica Odera. Back from left: Judith Kadogo, Gloria Masese, Gladys Nyakweba, Emma Ayany, Anne Njambi, Caroline Mugadi, Diana Monda, Maureen Kihiego, Judith Amwayi, Lynet Nusu, Chemtai Hellen, Winnie Mukami, Irene Kitur and Ian Taiga.
Photo credit: File | Nation Media Group
“She was very fast, very talented and very lethal,” Agunda noted. “The rivalry (between Sliders and Inter-Capitale) was serious but outside the game she (Amwayi) was a very nice person. There are players who would not even talk to opponents after matches but she would always engage players from other teams. She was always smiling and happy,” she added.
Agunda explained that the rivalry between the two teams was partly because Sliders broke away from Inter-Capitale.
KHU’s deputy president, Elynah Shiveka, who also played with Amwayi at Inter-Capitale and later at the national team, said it will take a long time before Kenya gets a player like her.
“I think it will take time (for the country to get a player like Amwayi) because the crop of players whom we have now are not committed and dedicated in the sport like she was. She was so passionate, very committed, she never failed to come for training. She was one player who was very good at dribbling the ball. She always roamed the pitch and would also fall back to help in defending.”
Before relocated to Canada in 1999, Amwayi was employed in the Ministry of Sports, thanks to her exceptional sporting talent. In Canada, she joined University of Alberta and played for the institution’s hockey team.
Since she was more skilled than her teammates at the university, Amwayi became the team’s player-cum coach. Jam said that owing to Judith’s contribution to the success of the University of Alberta's hockey team, the institution employed her as an assistant registrar in the admissions section, a role she served until her demise.
