Some 243 players were signed by Football Kenya Federation Premier League (FKF-PL) clubs ahead of the new season that kicked off on Friday.
According to the transfer data for the period July 4 to September 5, released by FKF on Thursday, 34 of the new arrivals were recruited from foreign leagues.
Sofapaka accounted for the highest number of the new signings at 21 including three foreigners, while Mathare United were the least active club with eight new signings.
Champions Kenya Police registered the highest number of players joining from foreign leagues at nine.
Sofapaka’s foreign imports are Ghanaians defenders Iddrisu Shaibu, and Stephen Bonney who joined from Nsoatreman FC (Ghana) and Vision FC (Rwanda) respectively. Forward Satala Djafari has joined from AS Kabasha in DR Congo.
Former Nairobi United player Adrian Oloo is the only local signing to join the “Batoto ba Mungu” from a Premier League club.
The nine new arrivals from foreign leagues at Police include Kenyan midfielders Tobias Otieno and Mohammed Sarwari who have joined from United States’ South Georgia Tormenta FC, and Spain’s Celta Academy respectively.
Police’s other notable signings are veteran Kenyan defender Joash Onyango who has joined on loan from Tanzania’s top flight side Singinda Black Stars, and Congolese forwards Moise Mbombo, Exauce Musuri and Gedeon Muyadi.
KCB registered the second highest number of new arrivals at 17, six of whom joined from foreign leagues.
Previously playing for Malawi’s side FCB Nyasa Big Bullets, Kenya international defender Clyde Senaji headlines the list of foreign-based recruits at the bank. Under the tutelage of veteran coach Robert Matano, ambitious KCB are eying their first ever FKF-PL title since their foundation in 1993.
Gor Mahia, who are record 21-time Kenyan champions, have recruited 11 players including attacking midfielder George Amonoo and forward Ebenezer Adu-Kwaw of Ghana and Ugandan Muhammad Jagason.
Defenders Lewis Bandi, Mike Kibwage and Siraj Mohammed and goalkeeper Byrne Omondi the notable local-based players, who have joined K’Ogalo.
AFC Leopards recruited nine players of whom two – defender Rami Coulibaly and forward Samuel Ssenyonjo are foreigners.
Ivorian Coulibaly joined the den from Morocco’s Chabab Al Tigers while Ssenyonjo previously played for Express FC in Uganda.
Some of Leopards’ notable local signings are winger James Kinyanjui from KCB and midfielder Tyson Otieno from Police. Boasting of 12 FKF-PL titles, Leopards last clinched the Kenyan championship in 1998.
Other teams’ signings in numbers are Bidco United (16), APS Bomet (15), Bandari (14), Kakamega Homeboyz (13), Kariobangi Sharks (11), Mara Sugar (12), Murang’a Seal (16), Nairobi United (11), Posta Rangers (14), Shabana (16), Tusker (13) and Ulinzi Stars (12).
Interestingly, Bidco United , Ulinzi Stars , Kariobangi Sharks, Mara Sugar, Mathare United, Murang’a Seal and Posta Rangers did not recruit any foreign player in this transfer window.
The FKF National Executive Committee meeting on Friday resolved to increase the limit of foreign players allowed per club to a maximum of seven.
