APS Bomet: Rising to stardom and success in community policing

Lindah Oguttu

Football Kenya Federation Transition Committee head of secretariat Lindah Oguttu (left) hands over a Sh1m cheque to APS Bomet CEO Rose Chemutai at the Bomet IAAF Stadium on July 24, 2022.

Photo credit: Benson Ayienda | Nation Media Group

What you need to know:

  • Some of the riots always end in deaths and destruction of property with police officers usually accused of using excessive force on the people exercising their rights to picket.

Whenever there are riots, police officers always find it rough while dealing with dissenting citizens.

Some of the riots always end in deaths and destruction of property with police officers usually accused of using excessive force on the people exercising their rights to picket.

In 2014, Bomet County attracted national attention due to unending political wrangles and demonstrations at the advent of devolution. The riots were on disagreements over boundaries, insecurity and other related issues pitting various political camps that thrust the police in the forefront of protecting public property.

In a bid to foster a good relationship between the men and women in uniform and citizens, both sides decided to engage in various sports activities to enhance peace and curb crime.

The sports championships were spearheaded by the then Bomet County Commander Adan Abdullahi who was determined to bring cohesion between the police and the youths who were at the centre during riots. The police boss also held the sporting events to help tap talents.

This is how Football Kenya Federation (FKF) National Super League champions Administration Police Service Bomet (APS Bomet) and their counterparts, Silibwet Leons, were born. APS Bomet have since been promoted to the FKF Premier League.

In fact, the current training ground for APS Bomet was a hotbed of crime. Drug abuse, sexual offences and assault cases involving the youth were rampant. Wayward politicians, through their proxies, met gullible youth at the grounds to plan for demonstrations.

NSL champions

APS Bomet were crowned the second-tier NSL league champions eight years after the club was formed to help preach peace and put an end to the demonstrations which had heightened the level of insecurity in the South Rift county. While other competitions initiated by Abdullahi died, it is only football which stood the test of time.

After bagging the NSL title, APS Bomet who have their base at the Bomet IAAF Stadium, will begin life in next season’s Kenyan Premier League.

The FKF Transition Committee has already released provisional fixtures for the league scheduled to begin on September 10.

Fortune Sacco from Kirinyaga County also secured automatic promotion but Murang’a Seal, which was also eyeing promotion, failed in their attempt when they lost to Wazito in a two- leg play-off.

APS Bomet will be joining Kenya Police Service, who also returned to the FKF Premier League last season from NSL and managed to survive relegation. And together with Ulinzi Stars, the three  teams associated with security forces will feature in the Premier League.

In an extensive interview with Nation Sport Rose Chemutai, the club chairperson said that it has not been a walk in the park. She said that the journey to the Premier League has been one  that was full of hope, but sometimes they were dragged back by emerging disappointments.

“It feels good to be in FKF Premier League and we are looking forward to a thrilling season. However, as we celebrate, it is good to think back. I hope the challenges we have had will continue to inspire us to fight in the top-flight league,” said Chemutai.

Apart from Chemutai, other officials of APS Bomet are Bett Kipng’etich (Team manager) and Michael Nyawanda (Secretary). Experienced coach Charles Odera leads the technical bench while Rama Kenga and Daniel Odhiambo are the first aider and team captain, respectively. The team has 30 players.

APS Bomet was promoted to the FKF Division One in the 2017/18 season after finishing top of the County League out of the 20 teams. The following season, they beat Ligi Ndogo 4-1 at the Moi Stadium in Kisumu in FKF Division One play-off on July 29 to make it to the NSL.

During the 2020/21 and 2021/22 season they finished in the mid-table positions in the NSL.

“It has been a tough challenge to steer the team financially because all the players are not police officers and we formed the team with the main priority being effecting community policing. We don't have a sponsor and have been depending on goodwill from well-wishers and officers,” added Chemutai while appreciating the NPS head office for assisting them with transportation logistics and match winning bonuses.

For the last two seasons in the NSL, the team’s finances were boosted by the second-tier league sponsor, gaming firm Betika, plus the incentives and grants from the FKF Transition Committee which have also helped the club stay afloat.
Chemutai said that it will be a pleasure and an honour to have two teams from the Kenya Police Service in the top league. Their rivalry dates back to the time they were in the NSL.

She said that the rivalry between Kenya Police and APS Bomet will spice up the game, and predicts that in the coming years, the two sides will be having a neck to neck battle for the top league title just like Tusker and Kakamega Homeboyz did last season.

APS Bomet’s captain  Odhiambo, who has been with the team since it was formed, said that they expect a tough challenge in FKF Premier League. He said that they are confident that they will not be relegated at the end of 2022/23 season.

“The formation of this team ended bloodshed and reduced criminal activities here in Bomet. That is an issue which binds us and motivates us to be outstanding in everything we do. Winning the NSL title was a great achievement but winning the FKF-PL remains our dream which is achievable,” he said.

The 36-year-old defender has seen the highs and the lows in the team and believes that with their promotion, sponsors will come their way and help players focus on the pitch.

“After the transfer of some of the officers who were integral in the formation of this team, we were almost sinking and thoughts of disbanding the team were floated. However, our chairperson and the players stuck to their guns and persevered. It was a tough time but we appreciate that things got better and we have started reaping the benefits of the hard work,” said Odhiambo.

For coach Odera, APS Bomet’s entry in the FKF Premier League is just the beginning of good things to come. The experienced coach is not new in the top league as he has previously handled Chemelil Sugar (now defunct), Muhoroni Youth and Kisumu All Stars.

Odera said that the team will resume training next week, and there are plans of reinforcing the playing unit to compete favourably in the top league.