The reshuffle has been effected just a day after the Premier League’s tentative date of return was confirmed
Wholesale changes have been undertaken at Football Kenya Federation Premier League side Ulinzi Stars, Goal can report.
According to a source close to the development, Colonel Eric Oloo, who has been acting as the chairman, as well as CEO Major Godwine Baraza, have left the club.
Lieutenant Colonel Balata Makonani and Major Joe Birgen have been appointed to fill the chairmanship and the CEO’ positions, respectively.
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Christopher Ouma – who has served the Premier League side for quite some time as the team manager, and former Harambee Stars goalkeeper Francis Onyiso – who has been the Ulinzi Stars goalkeeper trainer, have also left the Nakuru club.
Club legend Mulinge Ndeto has also been affected by the reshuffle at the club as he has been given the trainer’s responsibilities meaning that he has left the assistant coaching position.
“Those changes have been effected silently but they are just meant to give the club a new lease of life,” a source close to the development told Goal.
“It should not be understood that the exiting officials failed but it is common knowledge that a public entity should undergo a process of restructuring every now and then.
“We hope to remain a solid side after the reshuffle.”
In the last decade, Ulinzi Stars have tried to find a stable footing in the Premier League but they have been unsuccessful. Since winning the title in 2010, they have been seen as just participants as they have finished consequent seasons among the mid-table teams.
The last major trophy the side won was the Kenyan Premier League Top 8 Cup in 2011.
At the turn of the century, Ulinzi Stars were a strong side and supplied key players to the national side, including Onyiso and Ndeto, and won the league title in 2003, 2004 and in 2005.
By winning the league title in three consecutive seasons, they joined AFC Leopards and Gor Mahia as the only Kenyan clubs to have done that in the top-tier.
Ulinzi Stars was born when several military sides collapsed in 1995.
Initially, the armed forces had different teams that included Waterworks FC, Scarlet – which was the third battalion of the Kenya Rifles team in Nakuru – Kahawa United for Kahawa Barracks, 12th Engineers’ Silver Strikers in Thika, the Kenya Navy in Mombasa, and Kenya Airforce’s Spitfire in Nairobi.
They have had Afraha Stadium as their home ground since 2004 when they relocated from Thika town. Currently, they are 13th with 18 points from 16 games and have secures nine draws, the most draws of any other side in the season.
