Finally, following a long court process that was punctuated by accusations of malpractice and mistrust, Gucha Stars can now lay claim to their place in the second tier National Super League NSL, after it was ruled so, Tuesday.
Stars will now play in the NSL after the FKF Leagues and Competitions Committee (LCC) upheld the result of their replayed fixture against Nakuru Bucks that had caused controversy last term.
The long-running dispute stemmed from the rescheduled clash against Nakuru Bucks FC, played on Friday, 26th September 2025, at the Ulinzi Sports Complex. However, that was not the origination of this story.
The promotion back and forth began at the end of last season when Nakuru Bucks accused Gucha Stars of fielding an ineligible player, namely Eugene Nyakaga, in their Division One clash, and since Nyakaga was not registered on FIFA Connect, the FKF Leagues and Competitions Committee ruled on May 23, 2025, that Gucha had violated registration rules.
The committee awarded Nakuru Bucks a 3-0 win, docked Gucha three points, and suspended Nyakaga for one year. This decision saw Gucha drop from first to third place, handing Soy United the automatic promotion slot while Compel SC advanced to the playoff.
Following a successful appeal on the initial ruling by Gucha, it was decided that there would be a playoff match between Nakuru and Gucha to determine who walks away with three points. It was then set for Ulinzi complex in September.
The fixture was thus abandoned in the 86th minute with Gucha Stars leading 2–0, after the assistant referee was accosted by fans in the venue. The incident forced officials to stop the match, leaving the final outcome hanging in the balance.
Gucha Stars had also lodged a protest before kick-off, challenging the eligibility of several Nakuru Bucks players. However, in its meeting held virtually on 30th September, the FKF Committee dismissed the protest, ruling that the claims lacked merit.
Fast forward to today, and they can breathe and prepare for the new season.
The delay in resolving Gucha’s case has thrown the NSL calendar into disarray. The 2025/26 season, initially scheduled to kick off on Saturday, 13 September, was frozen after the Tribunal suspended the promotions of Soy United and Compel SC pending the outcome of the Gucha case. It eventually kicked off last weekend.