Nairobi City Stars

Last updated
Nairobi City Stars
Nairobi City Stars logo.png
Full nameNairobi City Stars
Nickname(s)Simba wa Nairobi
Founded2003
Ground Hope Centre,
Kawangware, Kenya
Capacity5,000
Owner Jonathan Jackson Foundation
Chairman Flag of Kenya.svg Jonathan Jackson
Head coach Salim Babu
League Kenyan Premier League
2023–24 6th
Website nairobicitystarsfc.org

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

Contents

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

Performance in CAF competitions

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.NationPlayer
1 GK Flag of Kenya.svg  KEN Edwin Mukolwe
13 GK Flag of Kenya.svg  KEN Elvis Ochoro
32 GK Flag of Kenya.svg  KEN Byron Owino
2 DF Flag of Kenya.svg  KEN Salim Odeka
4 DF Flag of Kenya.svg  KEN Timothy Muganda
6 DF Flag of Kenya.svg  KEN Brian Opinde
8 DF Flag of Kenya.svg  KEN Calvin Masawa
12 DF Flag of Kenya.svg  KEN Edwin Buliba
15 DF Flag of Kenya.svg  KEN Wycliffe Omondi
21 DF Flag of Kenya.svg  KEN Rogers Wasega
22 DF Flag of Tanzania.svg  TAN Stephen Bulugu
30 DF Flag of Kenya.svg  KEN Rowland Makati
3 MF Flag of Kenya.svg  KEN Sven Yidah
14 MF Flag of Kenya.svg  KEN Joseph Mwangi
No.Pos.NationPlayer
16 MF Flag of Kenya.svg  KEN Elvis Noor
18 MF Flag of Kenya.svg  KEN Kevin Simiyu
19 MF Flag of Kenya.svg  KEN Vincent Owino
25 MF Flag of Kenya.svg  KEN Brian Mzee
31 MF Flag of Kenya.svg  KEN Abuyeka Kubasu
5 FW Flag of Kenya.svg  KEN Robinson Asenwa
9 FW Flag of Kenya.svg  KEN Hansel Ochieng
10 FW Flag of Kenya.svg  KEN Dennis Oalo
17 FW Flag of Kenya.svg  KEN Brian Nyambane
20 FW Flag of Kenya.svg  KEN Kelvin Etemesi
11 FW Flag of Kenya.svg  KEN Maxwell Odada
27 FW Flag of Kenya.svg  KEN Gilbert Abala
29 FW Flag of Kenya.svg  KEN Benjamin Mosha

Club officials

Management

Chairman Flag of Kenya.svg Jonathan Jackson
Chief Executive Flag of Kenya.svg Patrick Korir
Team Coordinator Flag of Kenya.svg Samson Otieno

Technical Bench

PositionName
Head coach Flag of Kenya.svg Salim Babu
Assistant coach Flag of Kenya.svg Peter Opiyo [21]
Assistant coach & Game Analyst Flag of Kenya.svg Patrick Gitagia
Goalkeeper coach Flag of Kenya.svg Abel Omuhaya
Team Manager Flag of Kenya.svg Ronnie Kagunzi
Security Officer & Trainer Flag of Kenya.svg Arthur Museve
Physio Flag of Kenya.svg Brian Otieno Odongo
Kit Manager Flag of Kenya.svg Dominic Mutiso

Past coaches

Notable past players

Top scorers per season

Top scorers per season. * Award shared during that season

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

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 22 June 2025
#PlayerGoals
1 Flag of Kenya.svg Ezekiel Odera 37
2 Flag of Kenya.svg Justus Basweti 35
3 Flag of Kenya.svg Francis Thairu 34
4 Flag of The Gambia.svg Ebrimah Sanneh 32
5 Flag of Kenya.svg Arthur Museve 31
6 Flag of Uganda.svg Jimmy Bageya 29
7 Flag of Kenya.svg Davis Agesa 20
8 Flag of Kenya.svg Kelvin Etemesi 19 *
9 Flag of Kenya.svg Anthony Kimani 17
10 Flag of Kenya.svg Vincent Owino 16*
11 Flag of Uganda.svg Sande Katumba 15
12 Flag of Kenya.svg Samuel Ouma 14
13 Flag of Kenya.svg Peter Opiyo 13
14 Flag of Uganda.svg Dan Sserunkuma 12
14 Flag of Kenya.svg Robert Ndung'u 12

* Still active

Records

TypeNatNameRecord
Most Premier League appearances (City Stars) Flag of Kenya.svg John Amboko 221
Most Premier League appearances (overall) Flag of Kenya.svg Anthony Kimani 284 [22]
Most Premier League goals Flag of Kenya.svg Justus Basweti 27
Most Super League goals Flag of Kenya.svg Davis Agesa 17 [23]
Overall top scorer Flag of Kenya.svg Ezekiel Odera 37
Most capped player Flag of Kenya.svg James Situma 43
Most league goals in a Premier League season Flag of Kenya.svg Samuel Ouma 13
Most goals in a Super League season Flag of Kenya.svg Ezekiel Odera 11
Longest unbeaten Super League run Flag of Kenya.svg 2018/19-2019/20 NSL22 [24]
Record premier league win run Flag of Kenya.svg 2023–24 FKF PL 7 [25]
Record victory Flag of Kenya.svg vs Vihiga Bullets [26] [27]
vs Kisumu Telkom
vs Congo United [28]
4-0
Record defeat Flag of Kenya.svg vs Sofapaka F.C. [29]
vs Kakamega Homeboyz [30]
5-0

Premier League records

SeasonPosRecord
PWDLFAGDCSPts!
2004–05 8227782223-1728
2005–06 738141311434121655
2006–07 83011910312831142
2008 730117122531-61040
2009 63011109302911043
2010 1130713102534-9834
2011 143087152835-7931
2012 1330611131632-61429
2013 930711122436-12932
2014 1530412141835-17824
2015 14 [31] 30610142537-12728
2016 16 [32] 30310171739-22719
2020-21 73212911343041145
2021-22 5331410104534111452
2022–23 1534810163749-12834
2023–24 634131110423931250
2024–25 1834811152641-15735
Total527150171207488591-103168621

CS - Clean Sheet

Second tier League records

SeasonPosRecord
PWDLFAGDCSPts
2003-04 CHAMPIONS
2017 736121212454231148
2018 736141012413921052
2018-19 1438815154760-13339
2019-20 CHAMPIONS2620424018221464
Total1365441411731591437203

References

  1. AIS, May 25, 2009: Nairobi City Stars Appoints new Head Coach Archived 2011-07-13 at the Wayback Machine
  2. Daily Nation, October 16, 2008: New owners take over World Hope FC Archived 2020-01-12 at the Wayback Machine
  3. Daily Nation, November 20, 2008: City Stars unveil new German coach Archived 2020-01-12 at the Wayback Machine
  4. Kenyafootball, May 25, 2009: Nairobi City Stars Appoints new Head Coach Archived 2011-07-13 at the Wayback Machine
  5. The Standard, June 14, 2019: Jackson: Why we bought Nairobi City Stars squad Archived 2023-09-19 at the Wayback Machine
  6. Goal, May 1, 2019: Nairobi City Stars confirm takeover by Jonathan Jackson Foundation Archived 2019-08-27 at the Wayback Machine
  7. Citizen, May 1, 2019: City Stars has new owner; purchase coming after long financial struggles Archived 2019-08-27 at the Wayback Machine
  8. Futaa, June 13, 2019: Former KPL heavyweight owners make a vow ahead of new season Archived 2019-08-27 at the Wayback Machine
  9. Michezo Afrika, May 1, 2019: Hope as Nairobi City Stars gets new owner Archived 2019-08-27 at the Wayback Machine
  10. Daily Active Kenya, May 1, 2019: Just like Wazito, City Stars gets a new owner who will blow their problems away Archived 2019-08-27 at the Wayback Machine
  11. SportPesa News, May 1, 2019: Seasoned Local Football Journalist Korir In New City Stars Management Team Archived 2019-08-27 at the Wayback Machine
  12. Nairobi News, May 1, 2020: City Stars raring to go with promotion to KPL Archived 2021-01-19 at the Wayback Machine
  13. Futaa, May 7, 2020: Nairobi City Stars coach Sanjin delighted after promotion to KPL Archived 2022-05-11 at the Wayback Machine
  14. Soka, April 30, 2020: OFFICIAL: GOR MAHIA ARE KPL CHAMPS; CITY STARS PROMOTED Archived 2021-01-24 at the Wayback Machine
  15. Nairobi City Stars, Sept 17, 2021: Archived 2021-10-08 at the Wayback Machine
  16. Futaa, Sept 17, 2021: Nicholas Muyoti joins Nairobi City Stars Archived 2021-10-04 at the Wayback Machine
  17. The Standard, Sept 17, 2021: Former KK Homeboyz coach Muyoti joins Nairobi City Stars Archived 2021-10-04 at the Wayback Machine
  18. The Star, Sept 18, 2021: Muyoti joins City Stars, ready for a new challenge Archived 2022-03-27 at the Wayback Machine
  19. MichezoAfrika, Sept 17, 2021: Muyoti unveiled as new City Stars Head Coach Archived 2021-10-04 at the Wayback Machine
  20. "Nairobi City Stars – Pro Team Roster". Nairobi City Stars. Archived from the original on 18 February 2012. Retrieved 25 August 2019.
  21. Nation, 2 Apr 2023 Ex-Harambee Stars midfielder Opiyo begins coaching journey Archived 2023-06-20 at the Wayback Machine
  22. The Star, 27 Jun 2023 Nairobi City Stars skipper Kimani retires after 17 years
  23. Goal, 21 Sep 2020 Nairobi City Stars' NSL top scorer Agesa ready for KPL return
  24. Nation, 16 Dec 2019 Nairobi City Stars suffer first NSL defeat
  25. Nation, 21 Jan 2024 Leopards derail City Stars' title charge, Police down Nzoia
  26. The Standard 6 Nov 2021, Nairobi City Stars thrash Vihiga to close gap on K’Ogalo
  27. 6 Nov 2021 Four Different Scorers for Nairobi City Stars as They Maul Vihiga Bullets
  28. Michezoafrika 22 Oct 201, City Stars demolish Congo as relegation battle heats up
  29. Futaa 7 Aug 2016 Sofapaka 5 City Stars 0
  30. Michezo Afrika, 14 Feb 2025 Shumah Shines as Homeboyz Humiliate City Stars 5-0
  31. The Standard, 2 Nov 2015 City Stars survives the chop Archived 2022-03-19 at the Wayback Machine
  32. Capital FM 31 Oct 2016 City Stars relegated after falling to Homeboyz Archived 2023-08-28 at the Wayback Machine