Former Harambee Stars head coach James Nandwa is among the three candidates shortlisted for the vacant Nzoia Sugar head coach position.
Nandwa will battle for the job with former Sony Sugar coach Leonard Odipo and former Azam assistant coach Ibhrahim Shikanda.
Nandwa served as the Sony Sugar tactician last season while Shikanda was one of the assistants at Bandari. Odipo was in charge at National Super League side, Nairobi Stima.
The coaching job, which was advertised in October, had attracted 24 applicants who included former Shabana coach Gilbert Selebwa, former KCB assistant coach Ezekiel Akwana, Michael Nam, John Kamau, Francis Xavier, George Maina and Yusuf Chipo among others but it is the trio who have made the final cut.
The club was rendered coach-less in March after parting ways with Collins ' Korea' Omondi who was suspended and later fired after a string of poor results posted last season.
The club finished 15th in the abandoned season with 13 points against their name. After Omondi was shown the door, Nzoia turned to his assistant Sylvester Mulukurwa for services and he has continued to handle the team on interim basis alongside goalkeeper trainer John Muraya.
"We have three candidates for the job and we expect the Human Resource department to announce the new coach possibly by the end of the week. We are looking forward to integrate him into the team as quickly as possible since the new season is around the corner, " revealed a senior member of the board who sought anonymity.
The sugar millers, who were handed a 51- seater capacity bus and sh 2 million by President Uhuru Kenyatta have been on a restructuring journey after losing a handful of their priced players to deep pocketed opponents.
The financial boost from the head state had proved crucial in their bid to build a strong team for the new season as the club managed to bring in experienced players who were part of the nine recruits during the transfer window.
Nzoia raided Bandari for the trio of Mustapha Oduor, Cliff Kasuti and Moses Mudavadi who all have been tipped to walk into the starting team, thanks to the continental exposure gained while at the coastal side.