November 21, 2021, will go down in the books of history at Dimba Patriots as the day the club embarked on a long journey of conquering the football scene in Kenya. On this eventful day at the Thika Stadium, the Patriots overpowered the Green Berets 2-1 to book a slot in the FKF Division One league alongside Kibera Soccer.Masika Shaban, the man at the helm at the time termed the promotion as the right step in the club’s growth saying they had prepared enough to batter any team that came their way.True to his word, Dimba, who boasted of strong financial muscles at the time overpowered teams in the Third Division in 2021/2022 season coming on top of the FKF Division One Zone A although they lost the overall championship final to Mayenje Santos in an enticing final staged at the Green Stadium in Kericho. ##NAJAVA_MECA_7891623##Thrilled with the prospect of playing in the second-tier and achieving three promotions in a trot, Dimba went on a signing spree strengthening the team for a herculean task in the league regarded as the toughest in the country.However, the preparations hit a snag when the Football Kenya Federation (FKF) assumed office taking over from the FKF Transition Committee that had taken over the running of the leagues in the country.Problems Begin After the Nick Mwendwa-led team got back in office, the Football Kenya Federation (FKF) National Executive Committee (NEC) declared the 2021/2022 season null and void across all the leagues which were under the control of the now defunct Football Kenya Caretaker and Transition Committee.FKF General Secretary and CEO Barry Otieno said that as the NEC they had resolved to nullify the 2021/2022 FKF Premier League, National Super League, Women Premier League, Men’s Division One, and Women’s Division One leagues and no teams were going to be promoted nor relegated from the aforementioned leagues.Aggrieved by the NEC decision, Dimba alongside the 2022 National Super League champions, APS Bomet headlined the list of clubs that moved to court to challenge the Football Kenya Federation’s contentious decision to annul the 2021/2022 season and nullify the promotion and relegation of teams across all the tiers.The move made the Sports Disputes Tribunal (SDT) issue a temporary restraining order to the local football governing body but FKF later got injunction orders to run the league though Dimba, Aps Bomet, Fortune Sacco, and Kona Rangers refused to take part in FKF sanctioned leagues.Blow to APS Bomet, Fortune Sacco and Co. as High Court quashes appealRelegated to Division Two Having failed to take part in any league run by FKF, the five clubs were in for a rude shock as they waited for a decision from the SDT, FKF moved to suspend and relegate them from the respective leagues for the 2022/2023 season.The suspensions were a result of failure to honor three matches without providing an acceptable explanation in writing.Rule 3.1.12 of the FKF rules and regulations governing Kenyan football (2019), states that “Any club in a league format that does not turn up for three (3) fixtures in a season and their explanation, under Rule 3.1.7. is not accepted in all three (3) incidences to the FKF National Leagues and Competitions Committee, shall be suspended for the rest of the season, shall be relegated to a lower league for the next season, and may face other disciplinary action.”High Court quashes appealThings turned from bad to worse for Dimba on July 2023 when the high court issued an order for purposes of quashing the decision of the Sports Dispute Tribunal (SDT) decision rendered on December 6, 2022, on Friday 14 July 2023 against five clubs namely; APS Bomet, Fortune Sacco, Kona Rangers, Dimba Patriots and Mayenje Santos.The judgement by the high court on the eventful Friday afternoon meant that the affected teams remained relegated and were expected to start a new season from the respective lower tiers leaving Dimba in search of plan B.Mwatate United merger A fallout in the management of Mwatate United between the then Chairman James Okoyo and the current head Suleiman Mwambindo gave Dimba a perfect chance to get back into the football limelight as they took advantage of brawl to seal a deal with Mwatate in turn taking over their slot in the second-tier.Mozzart Sport understands the merger which was confirmed and effected by the FKF in September saw the club part ways with Ksh 3,000,000 for the slot but only Ksh 500,000 hit the late chairman’s account with the remaining sum yet to be disbursed to date.Mwatate Officials move to SDT Still basking in the happiness of returning to active football but now in a higher rank, Dimba was shocked on December 6 when they learned that a total of 18 officials of Mwatate moved to the SDT seeking the recent merger between itself and Dimba Patriots be nullified claiming it was riddled with irregularities.According to documents filed at the SDT, the 18 officials accused the FKF Head of competitions of approving the sale of Mwatate United in contravention of rules governing Kenyan football and the club’s constitution.Further, they accuse the club’s former chairman of selling off the club or merging it with Dimba Patriots without their consent and public participation.DONE DEAL: Dimba Patriots acquires Mwatate UnitedMwatate United wins at the SDT Mwatate through sports lawyer Ken Ochieng successfully contested the move at the SDT and on 13th February 2024 won the case with the SD directing FKF to reinstate Mwatate back into the league while quashing the merger terming it illegal and did not follow the due process which involved community participation since the club belonged to the them.Mwatate United will be reinstated into the National Super League fixtures as from next weekend. There’s a likelihood of the club playing two matches per week to catch up with the rest of the teams A detailed decision on the same is expected on Monday from the FKF)#FootballKE pic.twitter.com/lZujLpCANF— Brian Odhiambo (@Odhiambo_Brian1) February 16, 2024 FKF suspends Dimba Patriots matchThree days later, while the team was preparing for the Kibera Black Stars clash, the FKF leagues and Competitions Committee moved with speed to suspend all the NSL matches involving the club indefinitely.”We wish to inform you that on February 12, 2024, the Court delivered a decision regarding the merger between Dimba Patriots FC and Mwatate United. The Court has ruled to cancel the merger, citing procedural irregularities in the acquisition process. As a result, all matches involving Dimba Patriots FC have been suspended until further notice,” read a circular from the Leagues and Competitions Committee to all National Super League clubs.The move by the FKF seems to have ended the club’s three-year struggle in the Kenyan football scenes with the Kajiado-housed club yet to come out officially on the matter though we understand they have been talking with some of the Mwatate leaders to have the issue solved amicably to allow them to see off the rest of the season, the suggestion that has been strongly rejected at Mwatate Camp.The club was expected to file a petition at the high court on Friday last week but their attempts to get injunction orders were quashed leaving them at the mercy of FKF and Mwatate.
