Finally, it came. Kenyan Premier League debut for Rowland Babu Makati.
After sitting out 32 games into the 2021/22 FKF Premier League season, forward Makati made his top-flight bow on Monday 6 June 2022 against AFC Leopards in Thika Stadium during match day 33.
Makati came on in the 63rd minute for Mohammed Omar Bajaber who had earned his first Premier League game.
Speaking after the game Makati did not hide his excitement after his maiden entry to the Kenyan top-flight.
“This makes me happy that I am finally a Premier League player. Patience has brought me this far and now that the debut has come, I want to earn more games and I will work even harder to feature in very many more,” he said
Prior to the debut, Makati made the bench three times, the first in mid-December against KCB, and twice in May against Kenya Police and Gor Mahia.
Speaking on Makati’s achievement, head coach Nicholas Muyoti hopes the former Escalator FC lad can replicate what he saw against Leoaprds in the season ender against FC Talanta on Sunday 12 June;
“Makati did well in his first match in the Premier League. Let’s hope he does better in the final match.”
Makati joined Simba wa Nairobi in August 2020 from third tier side Vapor Sports on a long-term deal.
He spent the entire 2020/21 season on loan at second-tier side Nairobi Stima where he scored five goals and provided seven assists.
Rowland Makati at the Thika Stadium on 8 Nov 2020