Tusker signal intent with 10 signings
Nakuru All Stars midfielder Cersidy Lumumba (right) vies for the ball with AFC Leopards’ Humphrey Mieno in a KPL match last season. Both players have been snapped up by Tusker FC. PHOTO | SULEIMA MBATIAH |
What you need to know:
- Gor Mahia are the current champions.
- The brewers failed to capture the league title last term and Kimanzi is keen to have a solid and enterprising squad ahead of the new season.
- Tusker director Charles Obiny said that the acquisition of the 10 marks the end of their activity in the transfer market.
- Kimanzi’s charges finished third on the log last term on 53 points behind Gor (60) and Sofapaka(57).
Ten-time Kenyan Premier League champions Tusker have signalled their intent to reclaim the league crown they last won in 2012 by acquiring four foreign forwards and a midfielder ahead of the new season.
The new signings are Gambian midfielder Mattar Nyan, who has been acquired from Real de Banjul; left winger Aziz Kemba (SC Villa, Uganda); Dan Oryowoth (Vipers SC, Uganda); Mathew Odong' Tayo (SC Victoria University, Uganda); and Ghanaian forward Stephen Owusu, who formerly plied his trade with FC Sharks in the Nigerian Premier League.
Gor Mahia are the current champions, but going by coach Francis Kimanzi’s bold statement in the transfer market, 2015 could witness a huge supremacy contest pitting the two giants.
The signing of the quintet brings the brewers' January signings to 10 — five of whom are foreigners. The foreign acquisitions join five home-grown talents in James Situma, Humphrey Mieno (both AFC Leopards), Cersidy Lumumba (Nakuru AllStars), Patrick Oboya (Gor Mahia) and Donald Mosoti (Simba, Tanzania)
The brewers failed to capture the league title last term and Kimanzi is keen to have a solid and enterprising squad ahead of the new season.
Situma and Mieno moved to Ruaraka after falling out with Leopards following a contract dispute with the 13-time Kenyan champions. Mieno, who is a former KCB, AZAM (Tanzania) and Sofapaka player, is said to have cost the brewers Sh500,000 in transfer fee.
NO MORE TRANSFER ACTIVITY
In an interview with Nation Sport on Tuesday, Tusker director Charles Obiny said the acquisition of the 10 marks the end of their activity in the transfer market.
“I can confirm that they (the named players) are our players. We have completed their signings. All of them penned three-year deals. We will not be signing any other player,” he explained.
The new signings come in the wake of the exit of some marquee talents from the Kimanzi’s roster, with Ugandan midfield enforcer Khalid Aucho topping the list. Aucho moved to Gor, pocketing Sh1.8 million in sign-on fee.
He was joined at the glamour club by dead-ball specialist Ali Abondo, who will be donning the green jersey for the second time in three years.
Others are winger Joshua Oyoo and defender Mark Odhiambo — both loaned at Kenya Commercial Bank — custodian Samuel Odhiambo (Ushuru FC), Boniface Oluoch (Gor Mahia), Rodgers Omondi (Kariobangi Sharks), Martin Kiiza (AFC Leopards) and Robert Omunuk (released).
Kimanzi’s charges finished third on the log last term on 53 points behind Gor (60) and Sofapaka(57).
