Survival specialist— Sammy ‘Pamzo’ Omollo’s expert hand steering APS Bomet out of relegation

In the competitive environment of the Kenya Premier League (KPL), instances such as changing a club’s momentum mid-season to surviving the relegation battle has been rare.

Yet, for APS Bomet’s Sammy ‘Pamzo’ Omollo, performing miracles in the face of relegation has become something he has done not even once, with football pundits likening him to Sam Allardyce, the relegation survival specialist.

As of May 2026, the tactician has completely turned around the fortunes of the topflight league debutants APS Bomet, transforming a side that looked destined for relegation into the league’s most resilient outfit.

After 31 league matches, APS Bomet currently sit 12th in the league standings with 37 points three slots off the relegation zone, a position that seemed like impossible early this year.

Their climb up the table has been driven by a flawless tactical shift that led to Pamzo being named the Kenya Premier League Coach of the Month for April.

The Black Berets achieved a perfect hundred-percent winning record during the month of April, a run that effectively brought new life and hopes to stay in the league for next season.

No doubt Omollo has been the catalyst for Bomet’s upturn in form with the veteran coach instigating an immediate improvement in results, aesthetics and harmony in the team.

It wasn't just the wins, but the manner in which they were achieved. Pamzo’s side demonstrated a new defensive playstyle, recording three consecutive clean sheets and managing to score five goals in just three matches.

The golden month started with a slim 1-0 win against Ulinzi Stars who are also fighting for survival, followed by a dominant 3-0 win against his former side Posta Rangers and closed in style by edging out the already-relegated Sofapaka with a hard-fought 1-0 win collecting 15 points out of possible 15.

These wonderful results also led to domination of APS Bomet players on the team of the month.

This momentum didn’t end in April, the winning run have spilled into May with the team extending their unbeaten streak to eight matches following a 2-0 victory over Mathare United on May 10.

This isn't the first time the former Harambee Stars defender has been called upon to pull teams out of the danger zone.

His work at APS Bomet resembles his tenure at Shabana FC in 2024. Brought in during a mid-season crisis, Pamzo managed to stabilize the ‘Gusii Boys’ and steer them away from the relegation zone, earning him a reputation as the league’s team’s ‘saviour’.

Speaking during the award ceremony on May 10, Pamzo was reflective, dedicating the achievement to his late wife just because it was on mother’s day.

“She was my inspiration and the driving force behind my career,” he told reporters. Despite the recent success, he remains cautious about the remaining fixtures. “We have three games left against Bandari, AFC Leopards, and Tusker FC. We aren't safe yet, and I have told the boys that the job is only half-done.”

While APS Bomet focuses on survival, the title race is still on. Gor Mahia and AFC Leopards are currently locked in a fierce battle for the title, while Shabana—under different leadership this term—has enjoyed a much more comfortable campaign, sitting comfortably in the top five as the reigning champions Kenya Police FC sit at position three despite a poor start of the season.

For APS Bomet, the goal is simple—maintain the defensive discipline that defined their unbeaten April.

If they can navigate the final three rounds of the season with the same focus they’ve shown under Pamzo, the "Black Berets" will have secured one of the most impressive survival stories in the recent history of the Kenyan Premier League and it will not be a surprise to see Pamzo in the nomination for the coach of the season.

The "Pamzo Effect" is in full swing, and for the fans in Bomet, hope has officially returned to the stands hoping for a better team under the “Survival Specialist” coach Sammy Omollo well known as Pamzo.