Nairobi City Stars

Nairobi City Stars is a professional football club based in Nairobi, Kenya that currently competes in the first tier Kenyan Premier League.

Nairobi City Stars

Full name	Nairobi City Stars
Nickname(s)	Simba wa Nairobi
Founded	2003
Ground	Hope Centre, Kawangware, Kenya
Capacity	5,000
Owner	Jonathan Jackson Foundation
Chairman	Jonathan Jackson
Head coach	Salim Babu
League	Kenyan Premier League
2023–24	6th
Website	nairobicitystarsfc.org
Home colours Away colours

History

The club was founded in 2003 as World Hope Football Club after a majority of players followed head coach Zedekiah 'Zico' Otieno from relegated Kawangware United. The club was formed and owned by World Hope International, a charitable organization.

After one season in the Nationwide League, World Hope was promoted to the Kenyan Premier League.

In October 2008, the club was bought by Ambassadors in Sport (AIS Kenya),^[1] who renamed the club to Nairobi City Stars FC after the 2008 season.^[2]

After the take over Nairobi City Stars was initially coached by German manager Oliver Page, a former Bundesliga player.^[3] He resigned from the post-half-season in June 2009 despite good results, citing personal issues^[4]

After a short while under the new owners, the team reverted to Peter Jabuya who would struggle with the team till March 2019 when the club was fully acquired by Jonathan Jackson Foundation, a community-focused setup named after its founder Jonathan Jackson who is a real estate mogul in Kenya and in Europe.^{[5][6][7][8][9][10]}

Upon the change of hands the new owners hired online journalist Patrick Korir as the CEO to streamline the club's operations.^[11] And in July 2019 the club went searching for a foreign coach and hired Sarajevo-born Sanjin Alagić, a UEFA Pro licensed coach from Bosnia and Herzegovina.

He led the team to the 2019/20 Kenyan National Super League title and automatic promotion back to the Kenyan Premier League^[12][13][14] after four seasons out.

Alagić exited at the expiry of his contract at the end of June 2021. From September of the same year Nicholas Muyoti was appointed the new coach on a three-year deal. ^{[15][16][17][18][19]}

Honors

• Kenya Nationwide League
  • Champions (1): 2003–04
• FKF President's Cup
  • Champions (1): 2005
• Kenyan National Super League
  • Champions (1): 2019–20

Performance in CAF competitions

• CAF Confederation Cup: 1 appearance

2006 – Preliminary Round

Current squad

As of 30 Jan 2025.^[20]

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player 1 GK  KEN Edwin Mukolwe 13 GK  KEN Elvis Ochoro 32 GK  KEN Byron Owino 2 DF  KEN Salim Odeka 4 DF  KEN Timothy Muganda 6 DF  KEN Brian Opinde 8 DF  KEN Calvin Masawa 12 DF  KEN Edwin Buliba 15 DF  KEN Wycliffe Omondi 21 DF  KEN Rogers Wasega 22 DF  TAN Stephen Bulugu 30 DF  KEN Rowland Makati 3 MF  KEN Sven Yidah 14 MF  KEN Joseph Mwangi

No. Pos. Nation Player 16 MF  KEN Elvis Noor 18 MF  KEN Kevin Simiyu 19 MF  KEN Vincent Owino 25 MF  KEN Brian Mzee 31 MF  KEN Abuyeka Kubasu 5 FW  KEN Robinson Asenwa 9 FW  KEN Hansel Ochieng 10 FW  KEN Dennis Oalo 17 FW  KEN Brian Nyambane 20 FW  KEN Kelvin Etemesi 11 FW  KEN Maxwell Odada 27 FW  KEN Gilbert Abala 29 FW  KEN Benjamin Mosha

Club officials

Management

Chairman	Jonathan Jackson
Chief Executive	Patrick Korir
Team Coordinator	Samson Otieno

Technical Bench

Position	Name
Head coach	Salim Babu
Assistant coach	Peter Opiyo[21]
Assitant coach & Game Analyst	Patrick Gitagia
Goalkeeper coach	Abel Omuhaya
Team Manager	Ronnie Kagunzi
Security Officer & Trainer	Arthur Museve
Physio	Brian Otieno Odongo
Kit Manager	Dominic Mutiso

Past coaches

• Zedekiah 'Zico' Otieno (Sep 2003-Nov 2004)
• Robert Matano (Nov 2004 - Nov 2007)
• John “Bobby” Ogolla (Jan-Nov 2008)
• Oliver Pagé (Nov 2008-May 2009)
• Kennedy Odhiambo (May 2009-Aug 2011)
• Gideon Ochieng (Aug 2011-Sep 2012)
• Bai Malleh Wadda (Sep 2012-June 2013)
• Charles Omondi (June-Sep 2013)
• Jan Koops (Sep 2013-Jan 2014)
• Robinson Ndubuisi (Jan-Apr 2014)
• Tim Bryett (Apr-Jul 2014)
• Robinson Ndubuisi (Jul-Dec 2014)
• Paul Nkata (Jan-June 2015)
• Gabriel Njoroge (Jul-Sep 2015)
• Dennis Okoth (Sep-Dec 2015)
• John “Bobby” Ogolla (Jan-June 2016)
• Richard Pinto Tamale (Jul-Dec 2016)
• Robert Matano (Jan-May 2017)
• Abdul-Samadu Musafiri (Jul-Dec 2017)
• John Amboko (Jan-Dec 2018)
• Jimmy Kintu (Jan-Apr 2019)
• John Amboko (Apr-Jun 2019)
• Sanjin Alagić (July 2019 - June 2021)
• John Amboko (Jul-Aug 2019)
• Nicholas Muyoti (Sept 2021-Jan 2025)
• Salim Babu (Jan 2025 - to date)

Notable past players

• Victor Wanyama
• John Mark Makwatta
• Dan Sserunkuma
• James Situma
• Pascal Ochieng
• Kennedy Odhiambo
• Thomas Wanyama
• George Odhiambo
• Harrison Muranda
• Collins Tiego
• Levy Muaka
• Wesley Onguso
• George Abege
• Francis Thairu
• George Midenyo
• George Odary
• Victor Ochieng
• Erick Ochieng
• Paul Okatwa
• Lawrence Kasadha
• Justus Basweti
• Kevin Ochieng
• Noah Abich
• Edward Karanja

Top scorers per season

Top scorers per season. * Award shared during that season

Year	Player	Goals
*2004-5	Collins Tiego	5
	Justus Basweti	5
2005-6	Samuel Ouma	13
2006-7	Justus Basweti	6
2008	Arthur Museve	7
2009	Arthur Museve	10
2010	Francis Thairu	5
2011	Dan Sserunkuma	7
2012	Dan Sserunkuma	5
2013	Jimmy Bageya	4
*2014	Dennis Okoth	3
	George Abege	3
	Lawrence Kasadha	3
2015	Ebrimah Sanneh	11
2016	Ezekiel Odera	4
2017	Ezekiel Odera	11
2018	Sande Katumba	10
2018–19	Noah Abich	8
2019–20	Ebrimah Sanneh	8
2020–21	Peter Opiyo	8
2021–22	Ezekiel Odera	10
2022–23	Kelvin Etemesi	12
2023–24	Vincent Owino	8
*2024-25	Mohammed Bajaber	4
	Kelvin Etemesi	4

All time top scorers

A list of all-time Nairobi City Stars goal scorers. For players who have scored 12 or more goals.

As of 10 March 2025

#	Player	Goals
1	Ezekiel Odera	37
2	Justus Basweti	35
3	Francis Thairu	34
4	Ebrima Sanneh	32
5	Arthur Museve	31
6	Jimmy Bageya	29
7	Davis Agesa	20
8	Kelvin Etemesi	19*
9	Anthony Kimani	17
10	Sande Katumba	15
11	Samuel Ouma	14
12	Peter Opiyo	13
12	Vincent Owino	13*
14	Dan Sserunkuma	12
14	Robert Ndung'u	12

* Still active

Records

Type	Nat	Name	Record
Most Premier League appearances (City Stars)		John Amboko	221
Most Premier League appearances (overall)		Anthony Kimani	284[22]
Most Premier League goals		Justus Basweti	27
Most Super League goals		Davis Agesa	17[23]
Overall top scorer		Ezekiel Odera	37
Most capped player		James Situma	43
Most league goals in a Premier League season		Samuel Ouma	13
Most goals in a Super League season		Ezekiel Odera	11
Longest unbeaten Super League run		2018/19-2019/20 NSL	22 [24]
Record premier league win run		2023–24 FKF PL	7[25]
Record victory		vs Vihiga Bullets[26][27] vs Kisumu Telkom vs Congo United[28]	4-0
Record defeat		vs Sofapaka F.C.[29] vs Kakamega Homeboyz [30]	5-0

Premier League records

Season	Pos	Record
		P	W	D	L	F	A	GD	CS	Pts!
2004–05	8	22	7	7	8	22	23	-1	7	28
2005–06	7	38	14	13	11	43	41	2	16	55
2006–07	8	30	11	9	10	31	28	3	11	42
2008	7	30	11	7	12	25	31	-6	10	40
2009	6	30	11	10	9	30	29	1	10	43
2010	11	30	7	13	10	25	34	-9	8	34
2011	14	30	8	7	15	28	35	-7	9	31
2012	13	30	6	11	13	16	32	-6	14	29
2013	9	30	7	11	12	24	36	-12	9	32
2014	15	30	4	12	14	18	35	-17	8	24
2015	14[31]	30	6	10	14	25	37	-12	7	28
2016	16[32]	30	3	10	17	17	39	-22	7	19
2020-21	7	32	12	9	11	34	30	4	11	45
2021-22	5	33	14	10	10	45	34	11	14	52
2022–23	15	34	8	10	16	37	49	-12	8	34
2023–24	6	34	13	11	10	42	39	3	12	50
Total		493	142	160	192	462	552	-90	161	586

CS - Clean Sheet

Second tier League records

Season	Pos	Record
		P	W	D	L	F	A	GD	CS	Pts
2003-04	CHAMPIONS
2017	7	36	12	12	12	45	42	3	11	48
2018	7	36	14	10	12	41	39	2	10	52
2018-19	14	38	8	15	15	47	60	-13	3	39
2019-20	CHAMPIONS	26	20	4	2	40	18	22	14	64
Total		136	54	41	41	173	159	14	37	203