Kariobangi Sharks players celebrate in a past league match. Photo: Handout via The Star
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Explainer: the Kariobangi Sharks case, the 2019 v 2025 rules, and what it means for Kibra’s clubs.
The National Super League has no start date because of a court fight over how many teams go up and down between it and the Premier League. Here is the timeline.
The rules
Under FKF's 2019 rules, the bottom two Premier League clubs were relegated automatically and the 16th-placed club played a two-leg play-off against the third-placed NSL side. On 19 September 2025 FKF's National Executive Committee replaced them with the 2025 rules: three down, three up, no play-off.
The timeline
Late May 2026: a fan, Irene Njeri Ndung'u, files at the Sports Disputes Tribunal to stop FKF applying the 2025 rules, arguing they were never approved by the National Delegates Conference.
June: the NSL ends with Migori Youth champions, 3K FC second and Mombasa United third. Kariobangi Sharks finish 16th in the Premier League. Kibera Soccer are promoted from Division One; Darajani Gogo are relegated from the NSL "subject to several cases".
10 August: the Tribunal dismisses Sharks' challenge, ruling the 2025 rules were "validly ratified".
12 August: FKF releases Premier League fixtures for a 29 – 30 August start. The same day, the High Court in Murang'a, in a petition by activist Evans Nduta, restrains FKF from relying on the 2025 rules.
27 August: the court keeps its orders in place. Hearings are fixed for 21 September (FKF's objection on jurisdiction) and 24 September (the main appeal).
28 August: Lady Justice Dorah Chepkwony rules FKF may start the league under the 2019 rules for now.
30 – 31 August: FKF postpones round one after at least 12 clubs refuse to play; a Milimani court order bars a start before 21 September; FKF president Hussein Mohammed admits the start was "rushed".
1 – 4 September: FKF's disciplinary committee accuses Sharks of taking football to the ordinary courts, raising the possibility of a ban. The High Court later lets the rest of the league proceed while keeping Sharks and Mombasa United out pending the main case.
10 September: FKF confirms the Premier League starts on 19 September. It says nothing about the NSL.
11 September: Sharks file a civil appeal at Milimani seeking to stop the disciplinary case. Directions are due on 21 and 24 September.
What it means for Kibra
If the 2019 rules stand, only two clubs go up from the NSL and Mombasa United must play off against Sharks for the third place. If the 2025 rules stand, three go up and three come down. The number of relegation places from the NSL decides whether Darajani Gogo really drop, and whether all four Division One winners, Kibera Soccer among them, take their places. Kibera Black Stars' ninth place is unaffected either way, but the NSL cannot be fixtured until the top flight's membership is settled.
KNN will update this timeline after the 21 September hearing.
Sources: The Star, 12 Aug, The Star, 27 Aug, The Standard, 30 Aug, The Star, 2 Sept, The Star, 4 Sept, The Star, 11 Sept, The Standard, 29 May, Pulse Sports, 10 Sept
That was a Kibra News Network report, read by an A I voice.
The National Super League has no start date because of a court fight over how many teams go up and down between it and the Premier League. Here is the timeline.
The rules
Under FKF’s 2019 rules, the bottom two Premier League clubs were relegated automatically and the 16th-placed club played a two-leg play-off against the third-placed NSL side. On 19 September 2025 FKF’s National Executive Committee replaced them with the 2025 rules: three down, three up, no play-off.
The timeline
Late May 2026: a fan, Irene Njeri Ndung’u, files at the Sports Disputes Tribunal to stop FKF applying the 2025 rules, arguing they were never approved by the National Delegates Conference.
June: the NSL ends with Migori Youth champions, 3K FC second and Mombasa United third. Kariobangi Sharks finish 16th in the Premier League. Kibera Soccer are promoted from Division One; Darajani Gogo are relegated from the NSL “subject to several cases”.
10 August: the Tribunal dismisses Sharks’ challenge, ruling the 2025 rules were “validly ratified”.
12 August: FKF releases Premier League fixtures for a 29–30 August start. The same day, the High Court in Murang’a, in a petition by activist Evans Nduta, restrains FKF from relying on the 2025 rules.
27 August: the court keeps its orders in place. Hearings are fixed for 21 September (FKF’s objection on jurisdiction) and 24 September (the main appeal).
28 August: Lady Justice Dorah Chepkwony rules FKF may start the league under the 2019 rules for now.
30–31 August: FKF postpones round one after at least 12 clubs refuse to play; a Milimani court order bars a start before 21 September; FKF president Hussein Mohammed admits the start was “rushed”.
1–4 September: FKF’s disciplinary committee accuses Sharks of taking football to the ordinary courts, raising the possibility of a ban. The High Court later lets the rest of the league proceed while keeping Sharks and Mombasa United out pending the main case.
10 September: FKF confirms the Premier League starts on 19 September. It says nothing about the NSL.
11 September: Sharks file a civil appeal at Milimani seeking to stop the disciplinary case. Directions are due on 21 and 24 September.
What it means for Kibra
If the 2019 rules stand, only two clubs go up from the NSL and Mombasa United must play off against Sharks for the third place. If the 2025 rules stand, three go up and three come down. The number of relegation places from the NSL decides whether Darajani Gogo really drop, and whether all four Division One winners, Kibera Soccer among them, take their places. Kibera Black Stars’ ninth place is unaffected either way, but the NSL cannot be fixtured until the top flight’s membership is settled.
KNN will update this timeline after the 21 September hearing.
KNN Newsroom is the staff byline for stories written, rewritten and edited at the Kibra News Network desk. Where a story credits an outside outlet, the original source is linked at the foot of the piece.
