As the FKF PL 2024/25 season kicked off in earnest back in the middle of 2024, Police FC’s start was one with nothing much to write home about.

Five games into the new season, the team only passed for a midtable mediocrity, with a start only good enough to place them among the early contenders for relegation.

The dismal start under Salim Babu and Anthony Kimani necessitated cracking of the whip, with the Kenya U20 coach the casualty.

In the five matches where the Kenya U20 coach oversaw, the law enforcers managed only a paltry one win, with the threat of relegation real and a stab at the league title seeming a distant dream.

However, in a remarkable twist that has defined so many footballing folklore, the team mustered a revival to write their own comeback story.

Etienne Ndajiragiye’s arrival

 The team’s significant turnaround occurred in November when the management roped in the services of Etienne Ndayiragije as the new head coach.

The former Burundi national team coach’s arrival proved just what the doctor ordered in stabilising the law enforcers for the chase ahead.

As a little-known coach entering a club infamous for its player power influence, the soft-spoken, media-shy tactician brought more than just the lacking coaching acumen.

He successfully waded through the murky off-pitch issues of player power that had largely bedeviled the club, cracking one of the codes where erstwhile coaches, such as former Gor coach Zdravko Logarussic, seemingly failed to negotiate.

Coaching acumen

On the pitch, the tactician silently went about his business, turning the side over a new leaf by the turn of the year.

Among his notable achievements was a stellar run that saw the enforcers register seven wins and a draw in an impressive spree of nine games. During the run-in, the side only lost one of the nine games head coach Ndayiragije has overseen.

As January faded away, their impressive streak, coupled with rivals Gor Mahia’s inconsistencies, saw Police FC bolster their claim to a maiden KPL title even as the race to the league narrowed down to three.

Coach Etienne Ndayiragije arrived at the end of November with the team battling relegation.

He turned things around, brought stability, and went on to guide the team to a historic first league title.

He has cemented his legacy in the club’s story.#FootballKE pic.twitter.com/WANy6ctxG9

— KENYA POLICE FC (@PoliceFCKE) June 16, 2025

“Coach Etienne Ndayiragije arrived at the end of November with the team stuck in 17th place and battling relegation. He turned things around, brought stability, and went on to guide the team to a historic first league title. The tactician from Bujumbura has cemented his legacy in the club’s story,” a statement detailing the coach’s leadership read. \

The Bajaber’s show

By February, the club had shot to the top of the KPL standings as its resurgence got another shot from its midseason acquisitions.

Among the standout arrivals were the coach’s compatriot and Burundian attacker David Irushura and Mohammed Bajaber, a big-money move from Nairobi City Stars.

Bajaber, the Ksh1 million transfer star from City Stars and the star boy of Kenyan football, wasted little time in aiding the club push with an eye-catching performance.

 The former City Stars player bagged his debut goal against Bidco in what was a fine start to life with the law enforcers. He would continue his fine form to rank among the team’s most outstanding players en route to the coronation.

The homestretch

A defeat to Kakamega Homeboyz in May, with a handful of fixtures to go, threatened to derail their quest. However, with close challengers Gor Mahia and Tusker ceding ground too, the Red and Blue charges retained matters in their own hands, and the club never looked back.

Sunday’s solitary goal win over Shabana marked a historic day for the club that gained promotion to the top flight in 2021.

The league honours sealing a maiden league title and their second in top-flight football after the 2024 FKF Shield Cup triumph.

In a statement on Monday, June 16, 2025, the team hailed the coach for steering them to their first league title.

For the fist time in top flight history both the men's and women's titles have been won by the same franchise during the same season.

Congratulations to the Kenya Police Bullets FC and Kenya Police FC 👏 pic.twitter.com/bp5JaejtTB

— Football Kenya Federation (@Football_Kenya) June 15, 2025

“What a run! From rock bottom of the table to the summit — Coach Etienne Ndayiragije now needs just a draw to deliver Kenya Police FC’s first-ever league title,” the statement read.

Police’s rise to domestic supremacy has also been cemented with the women’s team also achieving back-to-back league titles.

Beldine Odemba’s charges defended their Kenya Women Premier League title for the 2025 season, to mark the first time inKenyann football history when the men’s and women’s titles have been taken by the same franchise during the same season.