Harambee Stars keeper Bwire joins Tusker after Orlando Pirates exit

Kenya goalkeeper Brian Bwire, 26, has joined Tusker FC after Orlando Pirates withdrew from a proposed move at the final stage. He has signed a one-year contract, ending the uncertainty that followed his departure from South African club Polokwane City.

Bwire spent two seasons at Polokwane but was left out of the squad after refusing to agree to a contract extension. He was excluded from the team from January and missed the club’s last 15 matches of the season.

His final matchday involvement for Polokwane came on February 14, when he was an unused substitute against Siwelele FC. Lindokuhle Mathebula subsequently became the club’s first-choice goalkeeper. Bwire’s only competitive appearances during that period came with Kenya in international matches in March and June.

The contractual dispute reached the PSL’s Dispute Resolution Chamber, which ruled in Bwire’s favour and cleared him to leave. That decision made the Harambee Stars international a free agent and opened the way for interest from other South African top-flight clubs.

Chippa United made an offer before withdrawing it. Orlando Pirates later looked set to sign Bwire, but the Soweto club abandoned the move shortly before completion. Pirates have since brought in Dublin Boon from Stellenbosch FC.

Bwire will now compete for Tusker in the CAF Confederation Cup. The Kenyan club is scheduled to meet Sudanese side Al Ahli Madani in the first qualifying round.

Polokwane City is due to receive compensation under FIFA’s Club Benefits Programme for Bwire’s involvement in Kenya’s World Cup qualifying campaign. The South African club is set to receive about $2,362 for each of the five qualifying matches in which he was included in the national team’s matchday squad.