Battered Impala look to history for inspiration
Chrispine Shitundo of Menengai Oilers gets past Brian Owino of Impala Club during their Kenya Cup match November 29, 2025 at Impala Club in Nairobi.
Impala, formed in 1956, is the second most successful club in Kenya Cup with 10 titles.
Nondies are, of course, the most successful with 17 crowns to their name.
Fondly known as the Gazelles or Red Shirts, Impala are also the second most successful club in the knock-out Enterprise Cup, with 11 titles. Nondies have won the Cup 25 times.
Impala claimed the double - Kenya Cup and Enterprise Cup, in 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003 and 2005, but their last victory was in 2009. Their last appearance in a Kenya Cup final was in 2016, where they lost 22-5 to Kabras Sugar.
Once a mighty club, Impala are now in turmoil, reeling from one heavy defeat after another, which puts their level of competitiveness in Kenya’s top league into question.
This is certainly their worst start to a season after conceding 184 points against 11 scored in two matches.
The Red Shirts lost to former champions KCB 87-5 two weeks ago and 97-6 to Menengai Oilers last Saturday.
They will next face reigning champions Kabras Sugar in Kakamega. Kabras have brutally exhibited their strength with a 67-6 crushing of Masinde Muliro University of Science and Technology, 67-6 and 58-0 demolition of newbies Daystar University Falcons in their opening two matches.
The question now is, what cricket scores will Kabras post against poor Impala, who lie at the bottom of the 12-team Kenya Cup table and without a point?
However, Impala coach Malik Ndemi, who has been with the team for five weeks, is putting on a brave face, even optimistic of the club turning around their fortunes.
Baptism by fire
“I told the players that it will be baptism by fire in the first three or four matches, but we shall have a fighting chance thereafter. The players are not giving up,” said Ndemi, who regretted the exit of five key players and the lack of pre-season training.
“The scores are high as we expected, but the tide is going to change starting in January. We only had three weeks of training, and basically, what we are doing is infused in everything like strength and conditioning as we move on,” said Ndemi.
Ndemi said that, as a community-based club, they have found it difficult to register a full squad in daily training.
Ndemi reckoned that clubs like Kabras, KCB and Menengai Oilers are able to put up good shows since they train up to three times daily, while Impala can only manage three sessions a week.
Keith Barasa (centre) of Impala Club attempts to get past Dennis Abukuse and Abutwahlib Wasonga of Menengai Oilers during their Kenya Cup match November 29, 2025 at Impala Club in Nairobi.
Ndemi, who took over from Louis Kisia, has had to do without Kenya Sevens youngster David Nyangige, who exited the club.
Other key players who left at Xavier Kipng'etich, Ishmael Mokaya, Cyprian Ombaso, Javan Otieno, Philip Okeyo, Martin Oyugi and Madiba Magoya.
“Clubs like Kabras, KCB and Menengai Oilers are training two or three times daily, while we can only manage three sessions a week,” said Ndemi.
“We just need to win five matches and we are in the play-offs. Soon our rivals will know what Impala are made of,” vowed Ndemi. He said that the club will avoid relegation at all costs.
Impala have indeed been relegated several times in their 70-year history.
Their first axing was in 1995 and their last in the 2021/2022 season.
But is this the first time Impala have conceded such heavy defeats?
Solomon Munyua, who captained Impala in 1992, recalled KCB humiliating them 96-0 in 1989 season.
It’s a season that Impala voluntary decided to move from Kenya Cup to the lower tier Eric Shirley Shield (ESS) league. “Impala fielded only 13 players in that game,” said Munyua.
He explained that at that time, it was also a requirement that a Kenya Cup side must have a second team featuring in the ESS.
Munyua said that Impala lacked the manpower and thus had no option but to drop down.
They returned in 1990 only to drop again in 1992 before going back up 1994.
Former Impala coach Bill Githinji took over as head coach in 1995 at a time Impala were rebuilding just like what is happening now.
"We suffered a heavy 90-5 loss to Quins during the 1996 season but still kept our place in Kenya Cup," said Githinji. He noted that Impala won the Kenya Cup and Enterprise Cup back-to-back in 2000, 2001 and 2002, besides clinching the National Sevens title back-to-back in 1999, 2000 and 2001.
"That time we managed to bring in players from the Jamhuri area into the team and along the way, we got stable," said Githinji.
“What Impala are lacking is confidence after top players have left. They will find it difficult now, as other teams have quality players. But they will find their footing,” Githinji added.
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