Messi among nine players shown door as Bandari reshape squad ahead of 2026-2027 season
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Reading Time: 2min | Sun. 19.07.26. | 15:21
The widely travelled midfielder leaves Bandari after failing to make consistent appearances in the concluded campaign
Bandari FC have embarked on a major squad restructuring after parting ways with 11 players as preparations for the 2026-2027 FKF Premier League season gather pace.
Sources close to Mozzart Sport indicate that the sweeping changes have been sanctioned by newly-appointed head coach Charles Okere, who has wasted little time in shaping the squad to fit his vision following his appointment last week.
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The tactician is expected to oversee a significant rebuild at the Mombasa-based club as he looks to restore Bandari's competitiveness after a disappointing campaign last season.
Among the biggest names on the departure list is striker Mohamed Barisa.
The forward joined the Dockers from Nzoia Sugar in 2024 and spent two seasons at the club, but now leaves as part of the ongoing restructuring.
Also heading for the exit is experienced wing-back Herit Mungai, who arrived at Bandari after previous stints with Mathare United, KCB and FC Talanta.
Mungai is among the senior players deemed surplus to requirements as Okere begins assembling a squad capable of challenging higher up the table.
Goalkeeper James Omusinde has also been released alongside Boniface Mwangemi, Omar Somobwana, Alfred Tanui and Yusuf Ali who had returned to the club from Murang'a Seal.
The list of departures is completed by:Jaffar Shariff, Alvin Ngoto, Mohammed 'Messi' Katana and Ghalib Ali, taking the total number of exits to 11.
The clear-out comes after Bandari endured one of their most underwhelming seasons in recent years, finishing 12th in the league standings.
A club that has consistently been regarded as one of the country's most stable sides struggled for consistency throughout the campaign, prompting the need for change.
Okere now faces the task of rebuilding a squad capable of competing at the highest level, with recruitment expected to intensify in the coming weeks.
The departures are widely seen as the first phase of the club's rebuilding process, with several new arrivals anticipated before the start of the new season.
Bandari's latest decisions underline their ambition to bounce back strongly and challenge for honours once again.
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Despite establishing themselves as a regular top-flight side since earning promotion, the Dockers are still chasing a first-ever FKF-PL title, and the ongoing overhaul signals the club's determination to finally bridge that gap under Okere's leadership.