KCB FC's Bold Rebuild for 2026/27 Season
KCB FC are not tiptoeing into the new SportPesa League season. They are kicking the door open.
After a flat 2025/26 campaign that yielded seventh place in the FKF Premier League and a fourth-place finish in the FKF Cup, the bankers have moved aggressively on two fronts: the dugout and the dressing room. The message is unmistakable – mid-table comfort is no longer acceptable.
New brains on the bench
Head coach Robert Matano, one of Kenyan football’s most seasoned tacticians, will not walk into the new season with the same support cast.
KCB have brought in Peter Okidi Okoth as assistant coach following his exit from newly promoted Mombasa United, adding a fresh voice and different perspective alongside the veteran boss. In goal, Bonface Olouch Otieno arrives from champions Gor Mahia to take over as goalkeeping coach, a hire that signals serious intent about tightening up at the back.
Behind them, the backroom structure has been quietly reinforced. Last season, the club appointed Tobby Owino as video analyst, a role that has grown in importance as data and detail shape modern preparation. Strength and conditioning remains in the hands of Samuel Macharia, who returned in the second half of the 2025/26 season and continues to oversee the physical edge of the squad.
This is not tinkering. It is a reset.
Matano framed it as a calculated plan rather than a reaction. He stressed that KCB have been “deliberate in identifying players who fit the way we want to play and who possess the quality, discipline and mentality required at KCB,” adding that the bolstered technical bench will leave them “better prepared for the demands of the new season.”
Seven new faces, one clear idea
On the pitch, the overhaul is even more striking. Seven signings, spread right across the spine and width of the team, give Matano options he simply did not have last term.
From Shabana FC comes right-back Mark Oduor, expected to inject energy and defensive balance on the flank. On the opposite side, left-back Jim Owili arrives from Mara Sugar, adding competition and depth in a position that often defines how bravely a team can play.
The midfield has been given a hard reset. Shielding the back four, defensive midfielder Fidel Origa joins from Gor Mahia, bringing top-level experience in one of the most demanding roles on the pitch. Ahead of him, attacking midfielder Brian Ouru signs from Mathare United, a move aimed at sharpening KCB’s creativity between the lines.
Out wide, Burundian winger Franck Nduwimana comes in from Rwanda’s Gorilla, offering directness and unpredictability in the final third. Up front, Shabana striker Assis Mambote is tasked with turning improved service into goals, while central midfielder Geoffrey Ojunga arrives from Bandari to add steel and control in the middle.
It is a recruitment drive that covers every phase of play: build-up, protection, creation, and finishing. No department has been left untouched.
Ambition from the top
The push has been backed firmly from upstairs. KCB FC Patron Azu Ogola framed the flurry of activity as a continuation of the club’s long-stated ambition rather than a sudden change of heart.
“KCB have consistently demonstrated their ambition to compete at the highest level, and these changes reflect our commitment to building a team capable of challenging for trophies. We have assembled a strong technical team and recruited quality players who share our vision," Ogola said.
He did not dance around expectations either.
“As we head into the new season, our expectations are clear: we want to be competitive in every match and make our supporters proud through consistent performances.”
That is the bar. Not the odd big result. Not a late push for the top four. Relentless competitiveness.
From bankers to contenders?
The pieces are now on the table: a hardened head coach, a refreshed technical unit, and a remodelled squad with experience from Gor Mahia, Bandari, Mathare United, Shabana, Mara Sugar, and beyond Kenya’s borders.
The question is no longer whether KCB are serious. The question is whether this new blend of coaches and players can turn intent into domestic silverware in a league that punishes any hint of hesitation.
Under Matano, there will be no hiding place.
