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Ahead of the 2023/24 FKF National Super League campaign, Dimba Patriots FC who were recently demoted to Division Three have now been cleared to take over the place of Taita Taveta-based Mwatate United FC.

The Nairobi-based side will now ply their trade in the second tier after effectively merging with the Coastal side and now officially getting the nod from the League Management body.

Initially, Mwatate, who have had financial woes for a better part of the past two seasons, had received a short-term sponsorship offer from a local sisal company but two factions in Management differed on the deal thus leaving the club at odds.

One of the founders of the club, however, has now moved to FKF after agreeing a deal with Dimba Patriots on a merger arrangement. Under the terms of reference, the club will now have to move its base to Nairobi from upcountry which had its largest fan base.

“Further to our meeting held on Friday, September 1, and the documents submitted, we wish to inform you that FKF has effected the change of management for Mwatate Football Club in line with the merger with Dimba Patriots and will in the coming days prepare a detailed response for all the issues that were raised,” an email from FKF Head of League and Competitions, Doreen Nabwire, read in part.

In the 2021/22 campaign, Dimba Patriots had the misfortune of being relegated to the fourth tier of the Football Kenya Federation League for its failure to participate in the competition that season.

This came against the backdrop of the FKF National Executive Committee (NEC) declaring after its suspension was lifted that the season preceding under the then-appointed FKF-Caretaker Committee was null and void and therefore there would be no promotions or relegation effected across all divisions.

Apart from Dimba, Mayenje Santos and Kona Rangers were also relegated to the third and fourth tier respectively. 

With a few days left to close the transfer deadline, the club is expected to go to the market for a couple of signings to bolster their squad. In the previous two campaigns, Mwatate United had all but survived the chop in the NSL.