AFC Leopards fans vow to paint Nyayo white and blue

It may not be Gor Mahia’s  home game, but AFC Leopards are mobilizing over 50 buses to ferry fans to Nyayo National Stadium on Sunday to cheer their team against their eternal arch-rivals.

Leopards, one of the most followed clubs in the region, have been registering more supporter groups, going up from 52 to 83 branches in recent seasons.

AFC Leopards coordinator Willy Okumu said the club’s 83 branches will be at Nyayo National Stadium.

“We want to turn up in large numbers on Sunday to create an atmosphere that will push our players to display good football and beat Gor Mahia on Sunday,” the long-serving club coordinator said.

AFC Leopards’ Nairobi West Branch chairman, Francis Liboyi, said: “We want to throng Nyayo in large numbers to cheer our boys. We also want to outnumber Gor Mahia and keep them silent forever! We are very impressed with the good results since the year started.”

Target domestic cup

Liboyi, who is also the Kenya Football Fans Federation (Kefofa) President, added:

“The league is out of our reach, but we have vowed to support the team to finish in a respectable position as they also fight to clinch the Mozzart Bet Cup.”

Leopards face Compel FC, a Division One side, in the quarter-finals of the domestic cup, whose winner will represent Kenya in the CAF Confederation Cup next season.

New Lucky Summer branch chairman, Thadayo Obanda, said the big turn out when Leopards play is a big statement of the fans’ love for the club. 

“We shall have our branch meeting at Blue Spring Hotel in the morning before ferrying our members to the stadium. 

“Gor Mahia should be ready to witness countless buses ferrying Ingwe fans to Nyayo,” he said.

Josephat Manyonyi of the Kawangware Branch said they would join other branches at a designated place and arrive at Nyayo in AFC Leopards' trademark blue and white colours to confirm to Gor Mahia the fans are a “special breed.”

“I’m sure with the full support of the team, the players will not let us down on Sunday. Beating Gor Mahia on Sunday will raise our chances of finishing the league in a respectable position,” said Manyonyi, whose branch is one of the oldest.

Okumu said fans will march from Kencom in Nairobi’s Business Centre (CBD) from 11am, heading to the 30,000-capacity stadium ahead of the 3pm kick-off.