Bidco United axes 20 players in major squad revamp ahead of new season

Kariobangi Sharks and Bidco United players jostle for the ball during a past FKF Premier League match. (Photo: File)

By Erick Kariuki
Thursday, September 4, 2025

The Thika-based outfit’s mass exodus is the second highest in Kenyan top-flight history, only behind Sofapaka’s 23-player release in June 2016.

Bidco United have made headlines as the busiest side in the build-up to the 2025/26 FKF Premier League season after releasing 20 players and ushering in 17 new signings in one of the most dramatic overhauls in recent years.

The Thika-based outfit’s mass exodus is the second-highest in Kenyan top-flight history, only behind Sofapaka’s 23-player release in June 2016.

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That chaotic window saw Batoto ba Mungu, then also relegation-threatened, lose almost their entire first team before recruiting a completely new side.

For Bidco, the shake-up comes at a time when the club is determined to turn the page after a difficult campaign in which they hovered near the relegation trapdoor until the final day.

Last season, the Oilers produced one of the great escape stories of the FKF-PL.

They spent most of the campaign stuck at the bottom of the table before pulling off a dramatic survival act on the final day of June.

A 2-1 victory over Sofapaka saw them leapfrog Murang’a Seal, Posta Rangers, FC Talanta and City Stars, eventually finishing 15th out of 18 teams. The relief was palpable, but the cracks were clear. Head coach Antony Akhulia and the club hierarchy opted for bold changes rather than minor adjustments.

The decision to release 20 players has, however, raised eyebrows among fans and pundits, drawing comparisons to past clear-outs. Akhulia was quick to defend the move, clarifying that most players left by choice rather than being shown the door.

“People need to get facts right. Most of these players found greener pastures and requested release letters,” he explained. “Football is their livelihood. If someone is earning 40 and another team offers 90 or 100, I cannot deny them that opportunity. Only a small number were officially dropped. The rest left by choice, and we should be proud of them for taking the next step in their careers.”

The rebuild has seen Bidco look both to established names and the lower divisions for reinforcements.

Among the new arrivals are centre back Kevin Ouma and midfielder Dan Musamali from Kenya Police, striker Jacob Onyango, who joined on loan from Tusker, and forward Kedishon Buka from Nairobi United. Several other players have been recruited from FKF Division One and Two clubs, reflecting Akhulia’s willingness to gamble on youthful and hungry talent.

Such sweeping changes are not new in Kenyan football. Bandari, AFC Leopards, Gor Mahia, and Ushuru have all had windows where they shed over a dozen players at once in a bid to refresh their squads. But Bidco’s 20 exits place them firmly in the league’s history books. Only Sofapaka’s infamous 2016 cul,l which saw them replace 23 players after nearly the entire team walked out, ranks higher.

Bidco will be put to the test immediately, opening their campaign with a daunting clash against defending champions Gor Mahia at Kasarani Stadium on September 21.