01 Sep 2021
NCS, Team News Permalink
Bolton Omwenga
Bolton Omwenga

Bolton nominated for Award

September 1, 2021

Outgoing Nairobi City Stars left fullback Bolton Timothy Omwenga has been nominated for the defender of the year award ahead of a season-ending gala set for Saturday 11 September 2021.

Bolton, on his way across the borders to Kagera Sugar, is one of seven nominees up for the upcoming award.

In the just-ended season, Bolton clocked 2,000 minutes for City Stars across 22 games. He scored twice, had three assists, was named MVP three times by the club, and on four different occasions was named by the league to the overall team of the week.

31 Aug 2021
NCS, Team News Permalink
Nairobi City Stars, Jamaica
Nairobi City Stars winger Vincent 'Jamaica' Otieno in a game vs Nzoia United on Sun 29 Nov 2020 at Narok Stadium in the 2020/21 FKF Premier League season opener. City Stars won 2-0 with goals from Anthony Kimani and Oliver Maloba

‘Jamaica’ calls for better season

August 31, 2021

From Hakati Sportiff to the National Super League (NSL) and to the Kenyan Premier League with Nairobi City Stars.

That’s a short two-year journey for budding attacker Vincent Otieno Okoth aka Jamaica.

In his debut season in the premier league, Jamaica earned seven games that included two starts against KCB and Bidco United in match days two and four.

His maiden game was in the historic season-opener out in Narok against Nzoia Sugar after the came on as a substitute for Erick Ombija in the 61st minute.

And just what was his view of the just ended season?

“It has been a fantastic season for an organized team like City Stars. That has helped us achieve the most of what we did as a club,”

“There were tough matches which we still managed to win because of having a fantastic job done in training and in friendly matches throughout the season,”

After making the squad for ten of the first 11 matches, Jamaica missed out on subsequent games but returned strongly to appear in matchday squads for seven of the last nine games.

“Injuries along the way made the season to be a little bit hectic because City Stars has always needed every player to be ready,”

“However, we achieved something as a team this season. Next season we are going for something different and better than this season.”

Jamaica wrapped his season where it wall began, in Narok, by clocking sub ten minutes in the season-ender against KCB.

30 Aug 2021
NCS, Team News Permalink
Edwin Buliba
Edwin Buliba in a past Premier League game against Mathare at Ruaraka in Aug 2021

Buliba’s learnings and aims

August 30, 2021

Eight games on his debut Kenyan Premier League season have left Nairobi City Stars utility back Edwin Malebo Buliba purring.

 Though he has his eyes on a lot more premier league games next season, and a possible trip outside the league, Buliba is happy at his exploits after arriving in the topflight after Nairobi City Stars promotion.

Buliba earned his premiership debut in match day two against KCB after coming on for Azizi Okaka at right back then went on to make a cameo appearance in game three against Bandari, all at Kasarani.

“As a young player I have learnt a lot this season from the experienced players. To get a place in the team it took a lot of hard work,”

“Other than working hard, which is important, staying patient and staying focused has helped my game improve,”

“That is not enough though and I need to do more and more and that’s what I’m aiming at,”

“The season has been hard as it was faced with some challenges, but God has been great we managed to finish it,”

“I appreciate the opportunity and support I was given at Nairobi City, and by my teammates,”

“As a young player it was my dream and an honor to play for Nairobi City Stars in the Premier league. Eventually I hope to play abroad.” Revealed the budding stopper cum right back

Buliba made the matchday squad in the first six games of the season then returned for three straight sub appearances against Gor Mahia, Sofapaka and Kariobangi Sharks.

Later on he picked his first start against Wazito and was to end the season two full games against Mathare United and KCB.

28 Aug 2021
NCS, Team News Permalink
Nairobi City Stars, Chale
Charles 'Chale' Otieno getting closer to full recuperation after months of rehab

Work cut out for ‘Chale’ after debut topflight season

August 28, 2021

Defensive midfielder Charles Chale Otieno hopes to clock more premier league games next term after making his top flight bow in the just ended 2020/21 season. 

This is after he clocked ten of the 33 games in his debut premier season collecting 275 minutes in total.

Chale made his Premier League bow against Sofapaka in Wundanyi in match day nine after coming on for Erick Ombija to see off the final 13 minutes of the game.

To prepare him for his debut, Chale had made the bench on two occasions in match days six and eight against Wazito and Ulinzi Stars.

The games included two full games against Tusker and Gor Mahia towards the end of the first leg.

“The season was a good one though it had its ups and downs. But for all that we achieved we thank God for it,” started Chale who joined City Stars in 2017.

While appreciating the season, Chale has his work cut out – to grab more games next season.

“On a personal level, I wouldn’t say the season was the best; I played very few games and earned very few starts. I now aim for more in the coming season.” Summed Chale

Of his ten games, Chale started three and completed two, and was a substitute on seven occasions.

27 Aug 2021
NCS, Team News Permalink
Nairobi City Stars, Masawa
Calvin Masawa in a past game for Nairobi City Stars against Vihiga Bullets in Feb 2020 at Camp Toyoyo

Calvin Masawa’s view on the 2020/21 Premier league season

August 27, 2021

The 2020/21 Kenyan Premier League concluded on Sunday 22 August 2021 with the 34th and final set of games ending a season that kicked off in late November 2020.

Overall Nairobi City Stars captain Calvin Apollo Masawa, at City Stars since joining in from Migori Youth back in 2011 – the longest serving player – was part of the Simba wa Nairobi squad that graced the league having returned to the topflight after four seasons in the lower tier.

Masawa was one of four players besides field captain Anthony Muki Kimani, Jimmy Bageya, Ezekiel Odera and Oliver Maloba who were making their second Premier League debuts having been part of the team that got relegated at the end of the 2016 season.

His view on the just ended season?

“The season was excellent given that we just got promoted from the second tier to KPL and finished seventh. That was a great achievement,”

“When we started the season, our sole aim was to survive relegation so anything beyond that was a bonus.

Not to be ignored by Masawa was playing the season in the midst of a the novel coronavirus season that cut short last season and delayed the current season by up to seven weeks.

“The season had so many challenges due to COVID-19 impact with all the restrictions, protocols and empty stadiums. Everything was never normal at all,”

“And to make it even more tough on us we lost our able Team Manager Mr Neville Pudo. May his soul rest in peace. That hit us hard being that he was a father figure to us. But we recollected ourselves and pushed on even harder,”

“The season was even more interesting being that every team was very competitive. It was full of surprises and very unpredictable since no team was guaranteed an easy win against any opponent, so that needed extra effort and a bit of luck for a team to win a match,”

“But with the financial support and motivation from our management, we were able to compete and even fought hard. It is our hope that next new season everything will be normal, and we are looking to better our seventh-place finish.” Concluded Masawa

The overall captain, gifted with power on both left and right feet, commands either fullback positions, as well as wings.

He featured in three games in the ended season but was a constant feature on the bench after being named 24 times.

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