Aston Lukoye
National Super League outfit Mwatate United have effectively and successfully changed the name to Dimba Patriots after being acquired by Dick Arudo as per the name change documents seen by Kenyan Trend
The acquisition of the Mwatate-based club marks the end of what has been a turbulent few years for the club. Financial challenges crippled the club activities coupled with managerial rows at the club.
Trouble started at the club as two sides led by outgoing chairman and founder James Okoyo Mbaraka clashed with the then interim head Suleiman Mwabindo over the running of the team as the latter refused to surrender the club upon the expiry of their mandated period.
The tussle and lack of a stable sponsor initiated the change of ownership to give the club a new life out of the chaotic surroundings.
“This partnership is important as it will support the team and build it further on our core values of empowering and nurturing young talents,” said Okoyo in one of the previous interviews with Kenyan Trend
With the takeover, Dimba Patriots are back into competitive football after a two-year absence. Patriots were relegated to the third tier by the Football Kenya Federation after they refused to take part in FKF leagues following the nullification of the FKF transition committee leagues.
“We are happy that the acquisition process has finally been completed. It’s been a long journey but finally, we have our team back.” Said one of the Dimba officials.
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The club will now be based in Nairobi marking an end to a nine-year stay of the hilly Taita team that has recently produced top talents in the country such as Elly Saenyi, AFC Leopards defender Brian Mandela, Cornelius Lusaka, and Alvin Ngoto among others.
