Salim Babu Demand: Two FKF Premier League clubs target Nzoia Sugar coach

Nzoia Sugar head coach Salim Babu has emerged as a key target for two clubs in the Football Kenya Federation Premier League.

Twahir Muhiddin, who is the leading candidate to take over at Bandari, has repeatedly identified Babu as his preferred assistant. Initially, Muhiddin had been tipped to step down after claiming he was not interested in coaching the Dockers on a permanent basis.

The experienced tactician took over when Anthony Kimani was sacked in March and was expected to leave at the end of the season. However, as the Bandari board keeps looking for a new coach, Muhiddin has been tipped to be the next one.

The former Harambee Stars coach is said to be keen to see the club appoint Babu as a member of his technical bench.

Apart from Bandari, Kenya Police's Francis Baraza is also interested in working with Babu.

Baraza is said to have already technically advised the club to appoint the former Sony Sugar head coach so that he can work with the Police next season.

Babu had a rather impressive run in the 2022–23 season as he led the Sugar Millers to a fourth-place finish just below the Police, who dethroned them from third position on the final day.

For the better part of the season, they had a mathematical chance to win the league. However, they ran out of steam and failed to finish in the top three.  Their season performance, however, did not go unnoticed, and thus their top players, and now the coach have attracted interest from elsewhere.

Hassan Beja and Joseph Mwangi are the players that stood out for the Bungoma club, and both were called up in the recent Harambee Stars provisional squads, although they did not make their debuts.

Mwangi has already been linked with Bandari, and should he make the move, he can find himself under Babu again should the coach take the reported offer from Bandari.