The 2012 Kenyan Premier League (known as the Tusker Premier League for sponsorship reasons) was the ninth season of the Kenyan Premier League since its establishment in 2003 and the forty-ninth season of top division football in Kenya since 1963. It began on 11 February with Tusker and Nairobi City Stars and ended on 10 November with Oserian and Rangers. The winners of the league will earn a place at the preliminary round of the 2013 CAF Champions League and play against the 2012 FKF President's Cup champions at the 2013 Kenyan Super Cup.
The defending champions Tusker, who also became the defending champions of the Kenyan Super Cup after beating Gor Mahia, the defending champions of the FKF Cup, earlier in the year, won their tenth league title after beating Nairobi City Stars 3−0 away at the Hope Centre. Gor Mahia, the former league leaders with 58 points (Tusker were second with 57), needed a win against Thika United to clinch a record thirteenth title, but the match ended in a 1−1 draw. A.F.C. Leopards, who were third with 57 points (Tusker were ahead on goal difference), also needed a win for a chance at a record thirteenth title as well, but lost 1−0 away to Chemelil Sugar.
A total of 16 teams are competed for the league, with fourteen returning from the 2011 season and one promoted from the FKL Nationwide League and the KFF Nationwide League, which were joint to make FKF Division One after the 2011 season. FKL champions Oserian and KFF champions Muhoroni Youth were promoted, while Congo JMJ United and Bandari, finishing last and second-last respectively, were relegated. Oserian were relegated at the end of the season, along with Rangers.
The league was halted at the end of 20 May to give teams a chance to rest and make possible changes in their squads during the mid-year transfer window. Matches resumed on 23 June.
On 21 August, the Kenyan Premier League and East African Breweries signed a KSh 170 million/= (US$2.02 million; £1.28 million sterling; €1.62 million) deal to rename the league to the Tusker Premier League, making it the most lucrative deal in Kenyan football history.
Changes from last season
Relegated from Premier League Bandari Congo JMJ United
Promoted from FKL and KFF Oserian Muhoroni Youth
Teams Several teams share common stadiums in the league, the most shared being the Nyayo National Stadium, by A.F.C. Leopards, Muhoroni Youth, Rangers and Sofapaka.
Half of all the 16 teams are based in Nairobi.
Stadia and locations Team Location Stadium Capacity A.F.C. Leopards Nairobi Nyayo National Stadium Chemelil Sugar Chemelil Chemelil Sports Complex Gor Mahia Nairobi Nairobi City Stadium Karuturi Sports Naivasha Naivasha Stadium KCB Nairobi Nairobi City Stadium Mathare United Nairobi Kasarani Stadium Muhoroni Youth Muhoroni Muhoroni Stadium Nairobi City Stars Nairobi Hope Centre Oserian Naivasha Naivasha Stadium Rangers Nairobi Nyayo National Stadium Sofapaka Nairobi Nyayo National Stadium Sony Sugar Awendo Green Stadium Thika United Thika Thika Municipal Stadium Tusker Nairobi Kasarani Stadium Ulinzi Stars Nakuru Afraha Stadium Western Stima Kakamega Bukhungu Stadium
Personnel and kits As of September 24, 2012. Team Head coach Captain Kit manufacturer A.F.C. Leopards Jan Koops Martin Imbalambala Legea Chemelil Sugar Edward Manoah Charles Odero Adidas Gor Mahia Zdravko Logarusić Jerim Onyango Legea Karuturi Sports Michael Nam Amon Muchiri Adidas Kenya Commercial Bank James Omondi Joseph Kangata Adidas Mathare United Stanley Okumbi Anthony Kimani Puma Muhoroni Youth Alfred Imonje Nicholas Owende Prima Nairobi City Stars Gideon Ochieng John Amboko Adidas Oserian Sammy Omollo John Keo Adidas Rangers James Nandwa Victor Omondi Adidas Sofapaka Stewart Hall James Situma Adidas Sony Sugar Zedekiah Otieno Wilson Oburu Joma Thika United John Kamau Kepha Aswani Legea Tusker Robert Matano Joseph Shikokoti Legea Ulinzi Stars Sammy Simiyu Geoffrey Kokoyo Adidas Western Stima Henry Omino George Wesa Adidas
Managerial changes As of September 24, 2012. TeamOutgoingReasonDate of vacancyIncomingDate of appointmentTable positionGor Mahia Zedekiah OtienoEnd of contractDecember 2011 Anaba Awono17 December 2011End of 2011 season Anaba AwonoSacked5 March 2012 John Bobby Ogolla7 March 2012N/A John Bobby OgollaDemotedMarch 2012 Zdravko LogarusićMarch 2012Mathare United Gabriel NjorogeResignedMarch 2012 Stanley OkumbiMarch 2012Muhoroni Youth Alfred ImonjeSuspendedApril 2012 (then resigned)ReinstatedMay 201212thNairobi City Stars Gideon OchiengResignedDecember 2011ReinstatedDecember 2011End of 2011 seasonOserian Sammy OtingaResignedJune 2012 Gilbert SelebwaJune 201216th Gilbert SelebwaBack to 18 August 2012 Sammy Omollo20 August 2012Rangers David OumaSackedDecember 2011 Ezekiel AkwanaJanuary 2012End of 2011 season Ezekiel AkwanaResignedApril 2012 Jaffer GichukiApril 2012N/A Jaffer GichukiResignedJune 2012 James Nandwa22 June 201215thSofapaka Salim AliSacked21 August 2012 Stewart Hall12 September 20123rdSony Sugar Francis BarazaSackedJanuary 2012 Zedekiah OtienoJanuary 2012End of 2011 seasonTusker Sammy OmolloSacked15 August 2012 Robert Matano24 August 20122ndUlinzi Stars Benjamin NyangwesoSackedMarch 2012 Sammy Simiyu1 April 2012N/A
League table
Positions by round The table lists the positions of teams after each week of matches. In order to preserve chronological evolvements, any postponed matches are not included to the round at which they were originally scheduled, but added to the full round they were played immediately afterwards. For example, if a match is scheduled for matchday 13, but then postponed and played between days 16 and 17, it will be added to the standings for day 16.
Results
Top scorers
RankPlayerClubGoals 1 John BarazaSofapaka 18 2 Dan SserunkumaGor Mahia 17 3 Rama SalimGor Mahia 12 Kepha AswaniThika United Evans AmuokaUlinzi Stars 6 Paul KiongeraKenya Commercial Bank 11 7 Jesse WereMathare United 10 8 Mike BarazaA.F.C. Leopards 9 9 Francis OumaMathare United 8 Andrew Tololwa Ismail SalimSony Sugar Erasto NdegeTusker Last updated: 10 November 2012
See also 2012 Kenyan Women's Premier League 2012 FKF President's Cup 2012 KPL Top 8 Cup 2012 Kenyan Super Cup
References