Samwest coach Selebwa endorses proposed NSL split

The move, initiated by the Football Kenya Federation (FKF), aims at reducing financial strain on clubs, traversing the country to honour league fixtures.

Speaking to Citizen Digital, Selebwa expressed strong support for the idea, noting that many clubs in the second-tier league face financial hardships due to a lack of sponsorship.

According to Selebwa, the current league format demands extensive travel across the country, leading to high transport costs that have proven burdensome for most teams.

“Many teams have been struggling day in and day out due to lack of funding, but the new proposed format will ease the burden. Transport for players has been the most critical challenge, especially for teams without sponsors. Some have even had to forfeit matches,” the former AFC Leopards coach observed.

Despite supporting the split, Selebwa emphasised that if FKF can secure solid sponsorship, the current national format should be retained due to its competitive nature.

“For now, if FKF gets enough and strong funding for the National Super League, we must stick to the league format we’ve been using. It is very competitive and makes the league most feared,” he added.

In the just-concluded 2024–2025 season, Samwest Blackboots finished 15th with 39 points. Selebwa praised the quality of football displayed across the league, noting that teams fought hard until the final matchday to avoid relegation.

“Every team in NSL this season has been excellent and strong—till the last day, no one in the red zone was sure of survival. That competitiveness is what makes this league great. With proper sponsorship, we could see even stronger teams promoted to the Kenyan Premier League,” Selebwa concluded.