Nyanza region, with the exception of Kisii, will just like in 2021/22 and 2022/23 seasons, have no representative in Kenya’s topmost club football competition, the Football Kenya Federation Premier League.
Last season, the region, made up of the counties of Kisumu, Homa Bay, Migori, and Siaya was represented in the top flight league by just one team – Muhoroni Youth.
However, the Kisumu-based Muhoroni Youth was promptly relegated to the National Super League.
Kisumu-based sports enthusiast Felix Ochii knows only too well how painful it is for the region to lack representation in Kenya’s premier football competition.
“It is a big blow to me because I have always followed the league (FKF-PL) religiously, enjoyed the stadium frenzy and the adrenaline rush that comes with top flight football,” said Ochii, who rarely misses an FKF-PL match at the lakeside city’s Moi Stadium or Jomo Kenyatta International Stadium in Mamboleo.
“I have to contend with watching more National Super League matches and maybe once in a while, I’ll travel to the capital (Nairobi) to watch my beloved Gor Mahia. I also hope that they (Gor) will increase their usage of Kenyatta Stadium in Mamboleo,” added the K’Ogalo die-hard.
The acquisition of Wazito FC by Moses Adagala, and its rebranding to Muhoroni Youth last season, at least assured the Nyanza region of a team in the FKF-PL, albeit through the backdoor, some would say.
After completing paperwork in the rebranding of Wazito to Muhoroni Youth, Adagala shifted the team’s base to Muhoroni Stadium in Kisumu.
However, financial constraints took a heavy toll on the club and it was relegated to the NSL.
Just like most football stakeholders, and fans from Luo Nyanza, Ochii is not surprised by how men’s football in the region has dwindled.
“The decline of Nyanza football as a whole has been a ticking time bomb, it was just a matter of time before it blows right in our faces,” he observed.
Apart from 2006 when Migori-based Sony Sugar lifted the coveted FKF-PL title, 2015, 2016 and 2019/20 are some of the recent standout campaigns for Nyanza-based teams when it was represented by three clubs.
In both the 2015 and 2016 season, the region was represented by Sony Sugar, Chemelil Sugar, and Muhoroni Youth while Kisumu All Stars, Chemelil Sugar, and Sony Sugar were in the 2019/2020 season.
In addition to the three clubs, Western Stima – a football club, that was largely considered a Kakamega team, and which shifted its base to Kisumu, also competed in the FKF-PL in the three seasons, leaving the fans spoilt for choice.
Sadly, though, Muhoroni Youth and All Stars are the only clubs out of the five that are still in existence today.
Chemelil and Stima were disbanded in 2020 due to financial constraints, while Sony Sugar was rebranded to Gusii FC in 2021 after it was purchased by Kisii-based businessman Paul Mayieko.
The disbandment of Chemelil Sugar and the sale of Sony Sugar followed the termination of their sponsorship by Chemelil Sugar and South Nyanza Sony Sugar companies respectively.
The two companies ceased sponsoring the two teams due to a decline in their revenues following tough economic times.
It was the same case for Stima, which were sponsored by Kenya Power and Lighting Company.
Kenya football legend Peter Dawo, who hails from Seme in Kisumu County regretted that it is now something common for Nyanza to lack representation in the FKF-PL.
“I feel very bad about it,” said the former Harambee Stars striker adding “I wish I had the capability to change the situation.”
Singling out All Stars, where he is an official, the K’Ogalo legend said the lack of adequate sponsorship for teams in the region is to blame for the current “worrying situation.”
Kisumu County government has been sponsoring All Stars since its formation in 2017 but Dawo says the support is not enough for the club to return to top flight football.
“The support from the county government is too little. If we get other sponsors on board, the players will be highly motivated to perform well,” he said, reckoning that the region is still the bedrock of Kenyan football.
“Before there was no Jomo Kenyatta International Stadium so for me lack of proper and enough playing venues is not a big problem. It is just that people are now not willing to come out and sponsor teams from this region. Most of the teams are self-sponsored and are struggling to exist. They lack the motivation to go for the title and promotion,” he added.
Former Pan Paper FC player and founder of the Manyatta Youth Resource Centre (MYRC) Anthony Oballah said the lack of teams from the region in the FKF-PL is demoralising the upcoming players.
MYRC is home to Manyatta FC, which have produced several quality players including Harambee Stars’ striker Benson Omalla. Oballa said the lack of teams from the region in the FKF-PL has presented them with a transition problem.
“Where will they (upcoming players) go when there are no top players here to attract them to the teams?” posed Oballah. He observed that All Stars is now the main option for their talented players.
Lack of goodwill from the football stakeholders from the region, county governments, and corporates, he said are also to blame for the sorry state of football in the region.
For now, the only FKF-PL action that Ochii and other football enthusiasts in Luo Nyanza can enjoy is when Gor, once in a while, host teams at Jomo Kenyatta International Stadium, Shabana play at the Raila Odinga Stadium in Homa Bay and newcomers Mara Sugar FC play at the Awendo Green Stadium in Migori.
Apart from All Stars and Muhoroni, Michael Olunga Football Academy in Homa Bay and Migori Youth are the teams that Nyanza region will be banking on this season in NSL to fight for a promotion spot to the FKF Premier League.
