Mohammed Bajaber Reveals He Played Injured to Help Save Nicholas Muyoti From Being Sacked

Mohammed Bajaber has opened up about his rare bond with former Nairobi City Stars coach Nicholas Muyoti.

Nicholas Muyoti gave Mohammed Bajaber a chance, granting him an opportunity to play in the Kenya Premier League for the first time after signing with Nairobi City Stars in 2022.

Fresh from the Starfield Academy in Parklands, Mohammed Bajaber did not know how it felt playing in the KPL, but Nicholas Muyoti believed in him, and he admitted that he will forever be indebted to him.

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The Harambee Stars forward made his debut in May of the same year against Tusker, and earned his first start against AFC Leopards in June.

Mohammed Bajaber would then score his maiden goal against Muhoroni Youth in March. He scored another six goals for Nairobi City Stars in the 2023-24 FKF Premier League season.

Mohammed Bajaber grew closer to the current Nairobi United coach Nicholas Muyoti and admitted that during one match, against Sofapaka, he played while injured to help the team secure a win.

During his early days in the Premier League, Mohammed Bajaber revealed that he had a lot of injuries, and most of the time, he was always out.

When he returned to the squad after recovery, there were rumours that Nicholas Muyoti would be released if they lost the match against Sofapaka, and Mohammed Bajaber was unwilling to let that happen.

Nicholas Muyoti allowed him to enter the pitch despite not having trained, and he disclosed that he pulled up an injury just five minutes into the game. However, Mohammed Bajaber was determined to make a mark and save Nicholas Muyoti’s job.

The match ended 2-1, in favour of Nairobi City Stars, and despite having damaged his hamstring more, Mohammed Bajaber was proud to have saved Nicholas Muyoti’s job. However, Nicholas Muyoti stepped down from his role after their 2-1 defeat to Posta Rangers.

“In my first season with Nairobi City Stars, I missed the first six games. My rehab was the worst, but the doctor at the time told me to go and rest fully for one month. I came back and got an injury,” Mohammed Bajaber revealed on the Tiki Taka Show.

“When I came back, there were rumours that the coach was almost being fired, and in that game, he put me on the pitch to go and rescue the situation.

“I had not recovered well, but I played for five minutes and got an injury again but I had to play until the 75th minute, and we won the game 2-1. I was out for some time, and upon my return, we had escaped relegation and things were looking good.”

The Kenya Police FC star hailed Nicholas Muyoti as one of the best people he had met in his life as he started his football career.

Mohammed Bajaber was proud of the milestones Muyoti has made, guiding his current club, Nairobi United, to a National Super League and the Football Kenya Federation Cup titles.

“Muyoti is like a father figure to me. He is a good coach with a great personality, and he gave me a platform and believed in me. I hope we shall meet again. I’m so happy for him for winning the NSL and FKF Cup,” he added.

Mohammed Bajaber’s heartfelt tribute to Nicholas Muyoti reflects a deep-rooted respect that transcends football. It portrays a bond forged through trust and sacrifice, one that continues to shape his journey both on and off the pitch.