Shabana's return to the top good for local football
Shabana players and fans celebrate after they beat Migori Youth in their National Super League match at the Gusii Stadium on June 18, 2023 to qualify for next season's Football Kenya Federation Premier League.
What you need to know:
- Shabana produced some of the finest stars on the Kenyan football scene, but found itself a victim of supremacy battle between a section of FKF officials who were against community-based clubs.
- Shabana has managed to attract thousands of fans who throng stadiums to watch the matches.
As a believer of community-based football clubs, I take this opportunity to welcome Shabana FC back to the Football Kenya Federation Premier League (FKF-PL).
Murang’a Seal also qualified but they will be gracing the top-flight league for the first time and their passion is yet to be seen
While Gor Mahia survived by the whisker, Shabana together with AFC Leopards were relegated in 2006 and fans of bother teams cried openly and it has not been easy run for the "Glamour Boys", as they are commonly referred to.
Seventeen-year wait is a long time, and you could see the way their fans celebrated along the streets of Kisii town and across the country after they beat neighbours Migori Youth to secure their place back in the top league.
Tore Bobe loyal fans led by chairman Jared Nivaton Ombongi and former FKF president Sammy Nyamweya were again electrifying at Police Sacco Stadium in Nairobi’s South C estate when they beat Darajani Gogo 3-0 on Thursday.
It has not been easy seeing the team rise back from the ashes to earn promotion from Division One through to the National Super League (NSL) and now to the FKF-PL.
To the players and the technical bench led by former international Sammy Okoth, it took lots of hard work and support from their fan base and cash incentive from the club leadership.
A survey conducted recently by FKF, showed that Leopards are leading in terms of fan base, followed by Gor Mahia, while Shabana are third.
After 17 years in the cold, the return of Shabana will rise our passion and game standards as it was in the 80s and 90s as they are expected to live up to the Shabana spirit of those days of Mike Okoth Henry Motego, Henry Nyandoro among others.
Shabana produced some of the finest stars on the Kenyan football scene, but found itself a victim of supremacy battle between a section of FKF officials who were against community-based clubs.
Shabana has managed to attract thousands of fans who throng stadiums to watch the matches.
