Siblings plying trade for different clubs in the Football Kenya Federation Premier League (FKFPL) are always forced to leave brotherly love at their doorstep and embrace rivalry whenever their respective clubs meet on match days. How they tackle, dribble, block, save or even score does not suggest brotherhood between them, as each strives to help his club to secure maximum points, a draw, win a title, or beat relegation in some instances. Mozzart Sport looks at how the sibling rivalry in the current FKFPL season looks after the closure of the mid-season transfer window on Friday night. Austin Odhiambo and Tyson OtienoThe duo is arguably the most technically gifted midfielders in the league. Austin, the league’s reigning Most Valuable Player (MVP), plays his football at Gor Mahia, while his elder brother does his business at Kenya Police FC. ##NAJAVA_MECA_8745669##Austin, a two-time league winner with Gor, is outgoing, unlike the largely media-shy Otieno, who won the Mozzart Bet Cup with the Law Enforcers last season. Otieno featured for Mathare United, the defunct Wazito FC and Kariobangi Sharks before joining Police, while Austin made a highly publicised transfer from Gor’s bitter rivals, AFC Leopards, in July 2020.Before Police splashed millions for Otieno’s services in July 2023, Austin had attempted to play the agent role by championing for his brother’s transfer to Gor, who were also in the race for his signature. Tyson Otieno credits brotherly support from Austin Odhiambo after family success with Police and Gor MahiaBoth midfielders have several Harambee Stars caps between themselves. Daniel Odhiambo and Paul Ochuoga Mathare United winger Daniel Odhiambo is an elder brother to Gor Mahia and national U23 team right back Paul. Daniel burst into the Kenyan top-tier scene in November 2023 when Nairobi City Stars secured his signature from National Super League (NSL) Kibera Black Stars. The St. Anthony’s Boys, Kitale product would rejoin Kibera in the following season to gather more experience, as well as lay the foundation for his bid for further studies, as he was chasing a scholarship deal in China back then. Odhiambo made a move to Mathare in January 2024 and played a crucial role in getting the Slum Boys back to the top tier at the first time of asking.Paul, on the other hand, was promoted to the Gor Mahia senior team in March 2022 after impressing the then-head coach Andreas Spier. The dreadlocked defender, who joined the Gor Youth team in 2021 after he was scouted while playing in grassroots football in Kibera, made his senior team debut on 23 April 2022 at Thika Stadium.##NAJAVA_MECA_8745644##Paul has won the league title with Gor Mahia in the past two seasons, and there is a possibility of adding a third winner’s medal to his collection this season. Kelvin Etemesi and Victor Otieno Etemesi is an attacking midfielder attached to Nairobi City Stars, while Victor Otieno plies his trade with former champions AFC Leopards. Etemesi, made his top-flight bow on 20 November 2022 against Bidco United at the Nyayo National Stadium, a match that ended 2-0 in favour of the Thika-based club. Despite the difficult start, Etemesi and City Stars recovered, with the forward finishing his debut season with an impressive 12 goals. However, the subsequent one was one to forget as he spent the better part of it battling illness that limited his appearances and ultimately saw the massive scramble for his signature fizzle out. Meet City Stars midfielder with a big heart for the less fortunate in the societyEtemesi, a former Kangemi All Stars and Woburn Youth Soccer Academy (WYSA) player, can comfortably play on the wing and as an out-and-out striker. Otieno, on the other hand, announced his arrival at the top tier in Ingwe’s barren draw against Muhoroni Youth on 16 September 2023 at Kasarani Stadium. Otieno, one of the finest dribblers in the league and who Leopards fans commonly refer to as Aguero, passed through the Leopards Youth team and also honed his skills at Sharks Taifa Youth team.Vincent Wasambo and Isaac WasamboVincent is a central midfielder attached to Posta Rangers, while his younger brother plies his trade at Kariobangi Sharks as a midfielder as well. Both players came through the Sharks Youth team, with Vincent being the first graduand in 2017.He was loaned to FC Talanta, who were domiciled in the second tier back then, to gather more experience and would earn his KPL debut in 2018.##NAJAVA_MECA_8745643##Vincent, a former national U20 and U23 team midfielder, ditched the Sharks system in November 2020 for KCB after recovering from a fractured leg. He joined Posta Rangers in October 2021 despite being one of the best-performing midfielders at KCB in the previous season, where the Bankers finished second behind Tusker. Isaac earned his debut in the top league in the final match of the 2020-2021 season against Sofapaka and would secure his first start in the competition on 18 October 2021 against Posta Rangers. Before being promoted to the senior team in January 2021, Isaac was moulded in the Sharks U-17 and U-20 teams. He joined the U17 team in 2016 when he was a form one student at Sunflower Secondary School. ##NAJAVA_MECA_8745624##Isaac is one the most versatile players at Sharks as he can be deployed as an attacking and defensive midfielder. He has occasionally played as a striker. Alvin Mang’eni and Cyprian Mang’eniKenya Police winger Alvin and FC Talanta forward Cyprian are siblings, with the former being the senior. Alvin made his first appearance in the KPL in 2018 following his promotion to the Kariobangi Sharks senior team. He joined the club’s youth system when he was still a student at Mukumu Boys’ High School. The winger ditched Sharks in 2019 for the defunct Nairobi Stima, whom he played for six months. Story of ex-Kenya Police winger needing Ksh2 million after mother agrees to donate kidneyHe joined Police in 2020, who secured promotion to the top tier the same year after edging Vihiga United in the Promotion/Relegation Playoff. Cyprian, on the other hand, is in his first season in the FKF Premier League having joined Talanta from third-tier side Bungoma Superstars. The striker previously played for Nyota FC after completing studies at St. Peter’s Boys High School in Mumias. Herit Mungai and Nicholas Meja Mungai is a left-back/wing back at FC Talanta, while Meja plays as a right back at Shabana. Mungai, a dead-ball specialist, returned to Talanta in the mid-season transfer window after a year at KCB.##NAJAVA_MECA_8745651##He ditched Talanta for Kariobangi Sharks in December 2018, and at some point, he played for the defunct National Super League side Coast Stima. Meja, on his part, played for Nairobi City Stars and Nakumatt FC before moving to Bandari FC, where he spent the better time of his career. Last year, Meja, a former national U20 and U23 team defender joined Shabana, but the move has not worked as anticipated given the limited game time he has been getting at the club. Both defenders have tasted continental football before with Mungai gracing the CAF Confederation Cup with Sharks in 2018, shortly after joining from Talanta. Meja, who has a national team cap, also played in the tournament with Bandari in the 2019 season. Faraj Ominde and Aziz OkakaLeague-winning midfielder Faraj Ominde is a younger brother to AFC Leopards’ utility player Aziz Okaka. Ominde, plays as a central midfielder at KCB, while Okaka started out as a winger but currently plays as a right back. Ominde started his journey to the top with the defunct Chemelil Sugar in 2016 before decamping to Tusker in 2018.He won the league title with the Ruaraka-based club in the 2020-2021 season before, surprisingly, leaving the club for Bandari. He served Ulinzi Stars for six months in 2023, with KCB securing his signature in January last year. While Ominde has featured for five teams in the top tier, his senior is quite the journeyman, having began at the defunct Sony Sugar in 2013.Farming meets rugby: Mwamba RFC’s Xavier Kipng’etich’s storyAziz later joined FC Talanta in the third tier before tasting football in Europe with Swedish club Gottne IF. He signed for the now-defunct Ushuru FC after his short spell in Sweden with Leopards, beating a host of teams for his services back in 2016.Aziz, who won the Shield Cup with Leopards in 2017, took a break from football and would later emerge at Nairobi City Stars, when the club was in the second tier. He had a six-month stint at Wazito FC after City Stars released him for free and returned to the Den for a second spell in 2023.The two had their other brother, Jaffari Owiti, at Kenya Police in the first leg of the current season. ##NAJAVA_MECA_8745669##The winger is among the handful of players Police, reportedly, deemed surplus to requirement in the mid-season transfer window It is not, however, clear whether he was formally released, as he alleges that the club has yet to furnish him with he release letter. Patrick Otieno and Mark OduorKCB winger Patrick Otieno had his prayer of facing his sibling in the league finally answered after his younger brother Mark Oduor joined Shabana in the final hours of the 2024-2025 mid-season transfer window. Oduor came close to joining Otieno in the top tier in 2021, but Kakamega Homeboyz and Nzoia Sugar both failed to reach an agreement with Green Commandos over the sale of the player. He would later take a brief break from football, and at some point, he was linked with a move to an unnamed club in the United Arab Emirates, but the deal fell through. Homeboyz, Nzoia eye Green Commandos midfielderWhile Oduor might have waited for his time to shine in the league for more than four years, Otieno had a relatively easy take off, as he made his Kenyan Premier League (KPL) bow in 2017, with Nzoia Sugar. Back then, the winger was a form three student at Bukembe High School, but that did not stop coach Bernard Mwalala from trusting in his abilities, as he handed him the chance alongside other young players, including current Tusker centre back Tom Teka. Both players honed their skills at Malaba Giants, with Otieno joining Kariobangi Sharks after cutting ties with Nzoia.Otieno, who has a single Harambee Stars cap, later featured for Posta Rangers before moving to KCB last year. Oduor, who can play as a defensive midfielder and a fullback, joined Shabana from Nakuru Bucks, his second club after Commandos. ##NAJAVA_MECA_8744173##Enosh Ochieng and Bildad AbongaWhile the rest of the siblings in the league are rivals on match days, Enosh and Bildad share the dressing room and have the privilege of calling each other teammates at Ulinzi Stars. Enosh is a seasoned striker who has graced the Kenyan top tier in the past decade, while Bildad is in his maiden campaign at the top level, having been promoted from the junior side before the season got underway. Blow for Ulinzi Stars as striker is ruled out of action for two monthsEnosh made his Kenyan Premier League (KPL) debut in 2013 against Sher Karuturi when he was still attached to Muhoroni Youth. He joined Ulinzi Stars in the second leg of the 2015 season and would land the League’s ‘Golden Boot’ in the 2019 season. The forward shared the award with former Kakamega Homeboyz striker Allan Wanga and Sofapaka’s Umaru Kasumba as the three finished the campaign with 17 goals. Prior to joining Muhoroni, Enosh, a product of Lambwe Secondary School played for; Atego FC, Shauri Yako Rangers (County League), Jua Kali FC and HB Milimani in the second tier. ##NAJAVA_MECA_8745665##He has several Harambee Stars caps under his belt, with his last involvement in the team coming back in August 2019 in a CHAN qualifier match against Tanzania. Just like Enosh, Bildad, barely a year after finishing his secondary school studies, briefly played for Atego FC before moving to the Nairobi-based Panthers FC. It is at Panthers, where the Soldiers scouted the central defender, who is capable of playing as a full back. First leg of the seasonBefore the February window opened, Bidco United left back Evans Maliachi and FC Talanta right back Kelvin Maliachi were in the siblings rivalries category. However, Kelvin left Talanta so is Michael Jairo, who is an elder brother to Kariobangi Sharks goalkeeper Benard Jairo. Gor Mahia defender in Norway for trialsJairo joined National Super League side Nairobi United alongside Enock Machaka, who is a brother to Talanta midfielder Clinton Machaka. Enock Masinza shared the Kakamega Homeboyz dressing room with his senior Christopher Masinza in the first leg. Christopher has since joined second tier side Harvest of Hope Africa (HOHA) after running out of contract at Homeboyz.
