Former Mombasa County Transport County Executive Committee Member, Taufiq Balala, has officially been appointed the new Chairman of Bandari FC, taking the reins of the only coastal team currently competing in the FKF Premier League (FKF-PL).

‎‎Balala replaces Engineer Stephen Toya, who had been at the helm since June last year.

‎‎The club confirmed the leadership shake-up through its CEO Tony Kibwana, who praised Balala’s deep understanding of the local football scene.

‎“Balala is not new in the game,” said Kibwana. “He knows what is good for football, and we believe he will be a great addition to the team.”

‎‎Kibwana also thanked Toya for his year-long service, highlighting the club’s achievements during his tenure and wishing him all the best in his future endeavours.

“We thank Toya for that one year with the ‘Dockers’, we achieved and we wish him all the best,” Kibwana added.

‎‎Bandari FC has suffered significant player exodus including the departures of their foreign players who had been integral to the squad.

But Kibwana insists that the team is actively rebuilding and adapting to ensure competitive performance in the 2025/2026 KPL season.

“We are mandated to have five foreign players, and since Umar Kasumba, Shassiri Nahimana, and Derrick Nsibambi left, we have that gap. I can confirm that three new foreign players have already started training with us,” he revealed.

‎‎Despite also losing local stars Bryne Omondi, Siraj Mohamed, and Fidel Origa to arch-rivals Gor Mahia, Bandari’s leadership remains optimistic.

‎‎“We understand our fans’ expectations, and I want to assure them — we are building a strong team,” Kibwana stated.