Season greetings to you all AFC Leopards faithful. Special thanks to the stakeholders who came through when the club was on the verge of relegation earlier this year.
They include Rescue team chairman Maurice Amahwa and his committee. Club patron and Nairobi Senator Johnson Sakaja, Cotu Secretary General Francis Atwoli, Senate Speaker Ken Lusaka, Westlands Member of Parliament Tim Wanyonyi, Makadara MP George Aladwa too deserve a mention for their contribution.
The club’s branches, led by Gilbert Andugu, deserve a pat on the back. Our branches including Facebook, Coast branch, Kayole, Pipeline, Kayole Chapter, Kiambiu Salem, Karen, Amani Woodley, Bunyore, Huruma Digital, Buru Buru, Ruaraka, Kawangware and Kangemi have been supportive through monthly donations to the team.
As we prepare to usher in a new decade, let us not forget that the past nine years have been the toughest for our beloved club. The team endured all sorts of disappointment, embarrassment and humiliation, both on and off the pitch as we all watched helplessly as the old enemy and other inferior teams dominated on the local and regional scene, winning title after title.
We followed almost in shock as our team suffered defeat after defeat to a team supposed to be our rivals. African giants docked in town but only played our rivals as we appeared not good enough to compete. Even when that historic opportunity to face English clubs Hull City and Everton surfaced, our beloved Ingwe was nowhere near the radar.
That one moment when we clinched the domestic title, we were not good enough to eliminate lowly opposition and we won no league title this decade.
Meanwhile, undeserved chaps were somehow elected club officials and used this position to line their pockets and seek political favours. Others traded the team’s name the way you trade mangoes in the market. They brought in undeserving coaches, changed players the way we changed the underwear, and the rot grew into a full blown crisis.
We lost our bearings, standing, and mojo. When sponsors SportPesa and Mumias Sugar, who loved and cared for the club were strangled off the market by cartels, we suffered to near death.
At some point, I genuinely thought this club would collapse. I still believe we are not off the hook, yet. Because it appears we haven’t learnt much.
Here is why all Ingwe stakeholders must have a hard look at ourselves and look forward to the coming decade with some sense of responsibility. The magnificent fan base offers us a step to launch a perfect comeback to the AFC Leopards of yester years. The millions of shillings available as prize money for continental assignments should act as enough motivation.
The jury is still out on the new office led by chairman Dan Shikanda but this team for sure have their hands full.
They all have an opportunity to be part of a reformed AFC Leopards despite the current struggles which has led to the players and technical bench not receiving their salaries since August. Officials must they kept their word.
I urge the fans to support them though, even as we look forward to what I believe can be exciting times ahead.
Merry Christmas to you all Leopards faithful, and here’s to interesting times.
