Kenya Police secured their maiden title convincingly after a narrow 1-0 victory over Shabana FC on Sunday, June 15, to break the dominance of Gor Mahia and Tusker FC.
Brian Okoth scored the only goal of the game as his second-half header gave the 11-year-old club a victory in a game that had very little pressure.
Going into the final game of the season, Kenya Police only needed a solitary point to clinch their first-ever Kenya Premier League crown at the expense of familiar contenders Gor Mahia, who are the most successful club in the competition's history.
Shabana, infamous for their overzealous fans, had an outside chance of clinching the title going into the final weeks of the season, but they eventually fell off in the race and were heading against Police FC solely looking to spoil the party.
For Gor Mahia, they will be kicking themselves at what is possibly a missed opportunity, thanks to a couple of dropped points in recent weeks. Many pundits have argued that the 1-1 draw against AFC Leopards on June 2 in Homa Bay sealed their fate.
K'Ogalo secured a 3-2 win over Ulinzi Stars on Sunday, but it was too little, too late, as Kenya Police had done just enough to get over the line.
Dig Deeper: Kenya Police's victory in the Premier League is commendable for a number of reasons. Founded in 2014, the team has been on a steady ascent to the top.
Nicknamed 'Makarao,' they achieved promotion to the top tier in 2021, and at the time, some critics saw them as flukes who would easily get relegated again.
However, their debut Premier League campaign culminated in an impressive third-place finish in 2023–24, and the Kenya Police Service-owned club effectively stamped their mark as a team that was in the top tier to stay.
In the same season, Kenya Police also won the FKF President’s Cup for the first time, which earned them a place in the 2024–25 CAF Confederation Cup.
November 2024 proved to be a turning point for the Kenya Police after the appointment of Burundian coach Etienne Ndayiragije, who was a key factor in the team's success this season.
Following their victory, the Kenya Police are set to bag several accolades, including a Ksh5 million prize and the coveted trophy.
In addition, the Law Enforcers are also set to feature in the most prestigious club competition in Africa—the CAF Champions League, which brings together the top club teams from across the continent, who qualify by performing well in their national leagues.
