Harambee Stars defender Joash Onyango will not feature against Simba SC for the whole of next season following an agreement between his former side and his new club Singida Fountain Gate FC.
Onyango was conspicuously missing from Singida’s squad as they faced Simba in the Community Shield (Ngao Ya Jamii) match on Thursday night, when Wekundu wa Msimbazi won 4-2 on post-match penalties following a goalless draw in regulation time.
It has now been revealed that the former Gor Mahia defender signed a one-year loan deal from Simba which does not allow Singida to field him against the Kariokoo giants until the following season, when the club will make the move permanent.
“Joash Onyango did not play because our agreement with Simba does not allow us to field him against them. We signed him on a one-year loan deal and he will not play against Simba whenever we face them during that period,” Singida Media Officer Hussein Masanza told Pulse Sports.
“When he left Simba, we agreed a one-year loan deal, with an obligation to buy, so after the coming season, we will hand him a new two-year contract which will allow us to field him against Simba.
“We are, however, still in talks to see if we can be able to change those terms midseason but for now, that is the position.”
Onyango joined Simba from Gor Mahia in August 2020, initially on a two-year contract, and agreed fresh terms in June 2022, extending his stay for another two years.
He, however, left the club last month after falling out of favour with their fans who turned against him whenever they performed dismally last season, opting against seeing out his final year.
The former Western Stima defender won three trophies with Simba; the league title and FAT Cup in 2020-21 as well as the Mapinduzi Cup in 2022.
Meanwhile, Masanza has lavished praise on Onyango’s compatriot Duke Abuya who starred on his competitive debut on Thursday. Abuya put in an impressive performance, limiting Simba’s threat in the Ngao Ya Jamii tie.
“Duke is a very good player, we tried to sign him last year but now we are happy to have him on board. He showed a great game and we know he will add a lot to ours side. Even in the friendly against AS Vita, he played well,” Masanza said of the former Kenya Police and Kariobangi Sharks midfielder.
The two players will be available for Singida’s third-place playoff match against Azam in the Ngao Ya Jamii on Sunday before their Tanzania Premier League opener against Tanzania Prisons on August 20.
