Owoko takes up the mantle at Vihiga Bullets

Vihiga Bullets have appointed former Tusker FC and Bandari assistant coach George Owoko as their new head coach succeeding Abdallah Juma who has been promoted to the technical chief position.

Owoko signed a two-year-deal today and he is expected to guide the side in finishing among the top five teams in the Kenyan Premier League campaign next season.

“I want to thank former Vihiga Governor Bishop Moses Akaranga who approached me to take over the team from Abdallah. This is a very good chance for me as a coach having being out of the action since 2019 after I went through operation having suffered blood clot.

“My aim is to guide the team to top five in the Premier League and I am sure with the right attitude among every stakeholder in the team plus the sheer hard work, we can achieve that. I want Vihiga Bullets to be the center of excellence whereby many scouts across the continent can come in search of talents,” said Owoko.

The team which is being sponsored by former Vihiga Governor Moses Akaranga has grown over a short period earning their promotion in top league at the end of the 2020/21 NSL after finishing second with 64 points - eight points behind champions Talanta FC.

However Bullets faced relegation axed last season under the stewardship of the FKF Caretaker Committee by after finishing 17^th on the log - but after the nullification of last, they will have another chance to play in the premier league next season.

Owoko started his coaching career way back in 2008 when he led Ambira Boys high school in Ugenya Siaya to clinch three Copa Coca Cola titles in a row before moving to Finlays homegrown in 2010 and helped the side to finish top three in the National Super League.

In 2016, he guided Barding High School in clinching the Federation of East Africa Secondary Schools Sports Associations (FEASSA) men football title after defeating Ugandan side St. Mary’s Ktende.

Owoko deputised Paul Nkata at Tusker in 2016 before joining the Coastal side Bandari in 2017 - helping them win the KECOSO tournament unbeaten.

In 2018, he handled St. Anthony of  Kitale, winning the Copa Coca-Cola title after defeating Nigeria in the finals. He then moved to Nairobi Stima in the same year and helped them to finish among top three teams.