Kenyan top flight and Caf Confederation Cup debutants Nairobi United owe their origin to wheat farmers, bakers, and soda manufacturers.
The team actually started without a name – just a group of men with bulging tummies forming a recreational football team in Nairobi’s Kasarani area in 2018 to shed weight and stay fit.
However, their counterproductive habit of having bread and soda after matches soon invited company that lowered the team’s average age and body mass index (BMI).
“A group of young boys soon joined us after they saw us taking bread and soda after matches,” Samwel Born Maina, the chairman and founder of Nairobi United, recalled in an interview with Nation Sport.
In 2019, young boys became the pioneering squad of 360 Media FC after Maina bought a Nairobi West Branch Regional League slot belonging to Riara University. 360 Media FC is an eponym of a company owned by Maina.
From that moment, Maina’s mind has ticked with decisions that shaped the team’s growth and eventually influenced Kenyan football. The most expensive of those decisions, he stated, has been his constant investment in the team’s chemistry and cohesion.
“I value team chemistry and cohesion over talent. I ensure my players are well taken care of,” Maina stated.
360 Media FC was the progenitor of Nairobi United’s – the name it later rebranded to – penchant for success at the first stab. They joined pyramid in the fifth tier in 2019 and won promotion to Division Two after just one season.
Nairobi United players celebrate with Mozzart Bet Cup trophy after beating Gor Mahia 2-1 in the final at Ulinzi Sports Complex in Nairobi on June 29, 2025.
Photo credit: Chris Omollo | Nation Media Group
The Covid-19 pandemic delayed the team’s bow in Division Two but when league matches resumed in late 2021 under the Football Kenya Federation Caretaker and Transition Committees after then Sports CS Amina Mohammed had disbanded Nick Mwendwa’s FKF, more intrigues saw 360 Media FC acquiring Balaji EPZ’s slot in Division One.
Yet, that acquisition almost turned 360 Media FC into a yo-yo club. At the time of the acquisition, Balaji EPZ was in the relegation zone, a slide 360 Media FC had to arrest to avoid slipping back to Division Two.
360 Media FC – then playing as Balaji EPZ as a name change was not possible mid-season – rebranded to Nairobi United after surviving relegation.
The name change was effected by the FKF Transition Committee. However, after Nick Mwendwa resumed office, Balaji EPZ filed a successful case against Nairobi United to reclaim their slot in Division One.
But another door opened. In late 2022, after NSL club Muhoroni Youth acquired top flight team Wazito, they sold their second tier slot to Division One side Darajani Gogo. That created an opportunity for Maina and Nairobi United to acquire the latter’s slot in the third tier.
Once again, at the first time of asking, the Naibois won promotion to the 2023/24 National Super League season via the play-offs with a 1-0 win over Kericho’s Zoo FC after they finished second to Rainbow in the 2022/23 Division One Eastern Zone season.
However, their first season in the NSL ended in a near miss at promotion. They finished fourth, a point behind third-placed Naivas who clinched the promotion play-off spot. “Our form nosedived towards the end of that season due to inexperience,” Maina recalled.
Maina added that it was the fear of suffering the same fate in the 2024/25 NSL season that prompted headhunting the tested and proven Nicholas Muyoti from top flight club Nairobi City Stars in January 2025.
Training of technical bench
Muyoti’s arrival was preceded by that of the club’s technical director Salim Ali in September 2024. Before their arrival, Nairobi United’s technical bench was an assembly of coaching greenhorns who ticked boxes of what Maina needed in a coach – mentally strong, passionate and can integrate seamlessly with players.
Former Posta Rangers forward Edwin Mwaura, who was demoted to assistant coach after Muyoti’s arrival, was a physical trainer at FC Talanta before Nairobi United poached him to replace Paul Okatwa in January 2024.
Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja (seated centre) poses for a photo with Nairobi United Football Club players and officials led by club chairman Born Maina (seated second left) outside City Hall on September 27, 2024.
Photo credit: Chris Omollo | Nation Media Group
Isaac Wenga, the team’s defence coach, found his way to Nairobi United after he had volunteered to coach a veterans’ club Maina was part of.
Joseph Ruto, the goalkeeper coach, joined from Posta Rangers but he first made an impression on Maina when they met at a match in Ruiru, where Ruto volunteered as Ruiru Hotstars’ goalkeeper coach as part of his community work.
Frankline Moffat Osama, a former footballer who is the team’s physiotherapist, was also poached from FC Talanta.
Fan Ngaira, also a former footballer, was plucked from his house to become the team’s physical trainer.
Anthony “Muki” Kimani, another former footballer, is the team’s set-piece coach. Together with Ruto, he is responsible for Nairobi United’s prowess at winning penalty shootouts.
Gabriel Kamande, the team’s scout and data analyst, scouts and does research on Nairobi United’s opponents before we play them.
Despite investing heavily in the education and training of his technical bench, Maina is not disturbed by the thought of his coaches leaving for greener pastures.
“That will be beautiful,” he said. “We have to build capacity for coaching in Kenya,” he added.
Salim Ali, the technical director, was brought on board by Osman Khalif after Maina realised a need for an experienced coach to mentor the team’s youthful technical bench. Khalif is the former MCA for South C Ward who is now the Liaison Officer for Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja.
Maina describes Khalif as “the team leader” and “a link between the club and its sponsor Sakaja Foundation”.
Nairobi United FC chairman Born Maina (left) with captain Isaac Ouma (right) present the club flag to Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja in Nairobi on September 27, 2024.
Photo credit: Chris Omollo | Nation Media Group
It was through Khalif that Maina met Sakaja and pitched to him the idea of sponsoring the club in late 2024. “Sakaja liked the idea. The team’s name aligned well with his status in the county,” Maina said.
“Sakaja will soon share details on that,” Maina said.
Commenting on the club’s upcoming matches in the 2025/26 CAF Confederation Cup where Nairobi United are in Group B with Moroccans Wydad Casablanca, AS Maniema of DR Congo, and Tanzania’s Azam, Maina was coy about the team’s chances.
“We do not count our chicks before they hatch,” he said.
“We leave everything to God’s will and our coaches,” he added.
Nairobi United's Brian Omondi (right) charges forward with the ball during their CAF Confederation Cup second round match against Tunisia's Étoile du Sahel in Tunis on October 27, 2025.
Photo credit: Pool
Maina also intimated that Nairobi United’s home match against Wydad Casablanca, scheduled for February 2026, could be played at City Stadium.
“We want to host our matches at City Stadium and it should be ready by then,” he said.
Following their promotion to the top flight as 2024/25 NSL champions and 2025 MozzartBet Cup winners, the team was received at State House in July by President William Ruto.
At the reception, Ruto became one of the club’s shareholders after investing Sh10 million in the team. Maina shared that Ruto follows the team’s progress through phone calls with Sakaja.
