KCB FC's Bold Rebuild for 2026/27 Under Matano

KCB FC are not tiptoeing into the new SportPesa League season. They are kicking the door down.

After a flat 2025/26 campaign that yielded seventh place in the FKF Premier League and a fourth-place finish in the FKF Cup, the bankers have moved aggressively on two fronts: the touchline and the dressing room.

New brains on the bench

Head coach Robert Matano, one of the league’s most seasoned tacticians, will not walk into the new season with the same support cast.

KCB have appointed Peter Okidi Okoth as assistant coach, prising him away from newly promoted Mombasa United, where his stock had been steadily rising. Alongside him comes Bonface Olouch Otieno from Gor Mahia, who steps in as the new goalkeeping coach, a clear sign that KCB want more authority and assurance in a key position.

The technical shake-up is not starting from zero. Last season, the club added video analyst Tobby Owino to sharpen their tactical edge. Strength and conditioning coach Samuel Macharia, who returned midway through the 2025/26 campaign, stays on to continue building the physical base Matano demands.

Matano framed the changes as deliberate, not cosmetic. He stressed that every addition, on and off the pitch, has been chosen to match his philosophy, and to meet the standards of quality, discipline and mentality he expects at KCB. The message is simple: there will be no passengers.

Seven new faces, one clear message

Behind the scenes, the recruitment team has been just as ruthless.

Seven new signings walk into the KCB dressing room, each one targeting a specific weakness exposed last season.

• The full-back positions get a complete refresh. On the right, Mark Oduor arrives from Shabana FC, while on the left, Jim Owili joins from Mara Sugar, offering Matano fresh legs and width on both flanks.
• The spine has been reinforced as well. Defensive midfielder Fidel Origa comes in from Gor Mahia to shield the back four and dictate tempo from deep. Ahead of him, attacking midfielder Brian Ouru, signed from Mathare United, is tasked with injecting creativity between the lines.
• Out wide, Burundian winger Franck Nduwimana signs from Rwanda’s Gorilla, adding pace and unpredictability on the flanks. Up front, striker Assis Mambote, also from Shabana, is brought in to sharpen a forward line that too often lacked a ruthless edge.
• Central midfielder Geoffrey Ojunga arrives from Bandari, rounding off a midfield unit that suddenly looks deeper, more balanced, and far more competitive.

This is not tinkering. It is an overhaul.

Ambition from the top

The intent is echoed in the boardroom.

KCB FC Patron Azu Ogola underlined that these moves are about more than just reacting to a disappointing season. He pointed to the club’s consistent ambition to compete at the highest level and made it clear that the new technical team and playing group have been assembled with trophies in mind.

Ogola set the bar publicly: KCB must be competitive in every match and deliver performances that make their supporters proud. No hiding place, no soft targets.

Matano’s next test

All of it now funnels back to Matano.

He has the expanded technical bench he wanted. He has a squad reshaped in his image, with specialists in key positions and depth across the pitch. The excuses have been stripped away.

For KCB, seventh place is no longer an acceptable plateau. With this level of investment and intent, the question is no longer whether they can improve.

It is whether this rebuilt side can finally turn ambition into domestic silverware.