Nakumatt FC wingback Boniface Mukhekhe poses with his trophy after being named the Sports Journalists Association of Kenya (SJAK)/SportPesa May 2018 Kenyan Premier League player of the month. PHOTO/Timothy Olobulu
NAIROBI, Kenya, Jun 27- Nakumatt FC wingback Boniface Mukhekhe was visibly excited and lost for words after receiving the Sports Journalists Association of Kenya (SJAK)/ SportPesa Kenyan Premier League (KPL) player of the month award for May on Wednesday morning.
The former GFE 105 man found favor with the SJAK football committee, polling 21 votes to beat Sofapaka’s Kepha Aswani and teammate Cornelius Juma who managed 19 and 11 votes respectively to bag the coveted crown.
“I thank God for this far because I have just been hearing of this award but today, I have witnessed it and it has come to me. I am really happy and this is a huge motivation for me,” Mukhekhe said amidst chuckles, still trying to comprehend his luck and award for hard work.
He adds; “It is my first season playing in the Premier League and from here, I want to keep on working hard to not only get to play for the national team but also play in the top leagues in Europe and around the world.”
Nakumatt FC wingback Boniface Mukhekhe is congratulated by his teammates after being named the Sports Journalists Association of Kenya (SJAK)/SportPesa May 2018 Kenyan Premier League player of the month. PHOTO/Timothy Olobulu
Mukhekhe playing his first season in top flight football scored thrice, including two worldie volleys against Vihiga United and Kakamega Homeboyz and provided three assists from his marauding runs on the right side.
The shy, soft spoken but hard working player joined Nakumatt as a right winger, but new coach Melis Medo has quickly transformed him into a right back, a position in which he has flourished and with it came the award.
“Boni is a great player; he listens, he works hard… his work load is fantastic. He has been doing good playing from right back to right midfield to winger and I am happy for him. We all are,” his coach Medo said after the player got the award.
The hugely religious Mukhekhe further paid tribute to the changes the coach has made as well as the effort his teammates have put in and he now targets to help the side finish inside the top five at the end of the season.
“We just need to work hard as players and trust in God because without him we are nothing. This year we have to get into the top five. We started the season poorly because of the lack of sponsorship but once we got one, things changed immediately,” he added.
Nakumatt FC wingback Boniface Mukhekhe poses with representatives from sponsors SportPesa and LG after being named the Sports Journalists Association of Kenya (SJAK)/SportPesa May 2018 Kenyan Premier League player of the month. PHOTO/Timothy Olobulu
With the award, Mukhekhe takes home a custom made trophy, a 49-inch LG Television and a cash reward of Sh100,000. On top of that, his teammates will get an additional Sh50,000 to pat them on their backs for helping their mate earn the award.
Meanwhile, Nakumatt head coach Medo has urged his team to keep pressing in the same direction after witnessing resurgence since his take over at the club.
The Egyptian-born-American whose work scope has seen him working at his native New York and Qatar says they will take a game at a time as they look to finish the season as high as they can.
“For us we just need to keep it simple and continue enjoying what we do. There is still a lot of hard work to be done but we need to take each week at a time,” the coach noted.
Currently 12th in the KPL standings, Nakumatt have only lost once in their last six outings, an away 3-1 thrashing at the hands of Sony Sugar. They have won four and drawn one. This weekend, they face another away trip, going to Chemelil Sugar.
