Undoubtedly the most surprise performers from the previous season, Nzoia performed exemplaryly beyond expectations, finishing fourth on the log with 64 points, four behind eventual league winners Gor Mahia.At the start of the current campaign, the Bungoma-based side was definitely expected to exhibit their sterling performance from the previous season; instead, that has been the complete contrast as the Sugar Milling-financed side is anchored at the bottom end of the 18-team league standings. Nzoia were relegated to the second-tier league after languishing at the bottom of the table for the majority of the season, albeit with three matches remaining.According to club captain Harun Thomas, Nzoia’s woes were necessitated by a significant player exodus and managerial changes.Nzoia witnessed the enormous exit of key first-team players who largely switched sides to the AFC Leopards, save for Harun Thomas, Benson Mangala, Steve Otieno, Wekesa Elisha, and Ian Simiyu, who stayed put in the club. Further, the club experienced departures on the technical bench, with head coach Salim Babu crossing over to join law enforcement Kenya Police FC. ##NAJAVA_MECA_8142191##Nzoia’s miseries were exacerbated by events leading up to the start of the season, coupled with monetary constraints.Despite making managerial changes and bringing on board seasoned tactician Mike Muiruri to help arrest their dwindling performance, the attempts were futile as the millers saw their misfortunes dig deeper.”I believe we had a dismal campaign caused by the large exits of nearly all the key players in the team. We struggled to keep up with the new players onboard, and despite financial constraints, I’m certain that had we retained most of the players, we would have escaped relegation,” stated the former Sony Sugar captain. 2026WCQ: Probable Harambee Stars line up against BurundiWith Nzoia Sugar already relegated to the National Super League, Thomas admitted to accepting their destiny but exuded hope that Nzoia would return to the FKF Premier League in a season. “It’s all over, and we now know what to expect next season. If we keep the present group and add a few reinforcements in important areas, I’m convinced we’ll make a quick return to the top flight,” he said.Ahead of the final stretch of the season, Nzoia will play Ulinzi Stars before closing the season with games against survival hopefuls Muhoroni Youth and Sofapaka FC, respectively.
