Year-in-Review: Newbies Mara Sugar’s highflying start made faithful dare to dream

In their debut season in the FKF-Premier League, Mara Sugar have not only impressed but also made their fans to dream of a possible title triumph in their first stab.

The little-known Kilgoris-based side that made history as the first stable from Narok County to play in the Kenyan topflight league is owned by Mara Sugar Company and their highflying start to the 2024-25 season has seen them emerge as dark horses in the title race.

While their meteoric rise to the apex of Kenyan football has been nothing short of an inspiration, their success as been attributed to their former technical director and former Harambee Stars lethal marksman Boniface Ambani.

Before he walked away from his position in November this year after brushing shoulders with some of the club’s newly appointed senior officials, Ambani had injected a winning mentality to the squad, a feat that made them dream of going all the way in their maiden campaign under the tutelage head coach George Midenyo.

Against the odds Mara started the 2024-25 season on high, going a four-game winning streak against Kakamega Homeboyz, Nairobi City Stars, Shabana and Bidco United before suffering two losses and a draw in their first seven matches.

“We are here to compete, we are not here to participate. Personally, I have always endeavor to win in any league I participate”, said an optimistic Ambani.

For coach Midenyo, the stellar start won’t flatter the millers as he understands the grueling nature of a title hunt for a contender.

Responding to questions about a potential title charge, Midenyo rallied the club’s faithful to stay grounded as they push for a decent debut season.

 “What I can promise fans is hard work and determination. I don’t promise results but we will put our best foot forward so as to win the next match and the next match,” he reckoned.

While Ambani’s realistic target for the season is a top four finish, former AFC Leopards and Tusker tactician James Nandwa feels Mara can pull an upset should they be consistent.

“I can say that the way Mara is playing I can easily give them an upper hand to win this league just as KCB,” said Nandwa.

Ambani says the club’s success is testament to efforts by its founders like former Mara Team Manager the late Thomas Oduor who hired him as the technical director.

He passed on in May this year with Mara leading the NSL table on the brink of promotion to the topflight.

 “I am so much indebted to the late Thomas Oduor because he worked so hard to make sure I achieve my goals. May he rest in peace”, Ambani added.

His death forced Ambani to embrace the position of the establishment’s overall figure head, successfully overseeing their promotion to the premier league as per his dream.

“All the technical bench members at Mara, I was the one who appointed them and everything was solely on me.

“Even the players who came in, who left, I was aware and, in the picture, so as to get quality”, Ambani concluded.

Whether Mara will replicate Sofapaka’s 2009 title heroics in their maiden campaign or finish in the top four will rely on their consistency is a matter of wait and see but their exploits point to a team that is daring to dream despite the unforgiving tides of Kenya’s topflight league.