Kasavuli: We are still in charge

Trouble is brewing at AFC Leopards after the club leadership suspended five of its members it claims were involved in a mutiny.

The quintet are Mathew Opwora, Amawa Milimu, Noah Wanyama, Maurice Osundwa and Okiya Itindi.

The five are alleged to have hatched a plot to take over the leadership of the club through the back door during a chaotic meeting held on Saturday at the Nairobi Railways Club.

Addressing reporters at the team’s training camp in Gigiri on Monday, besieged club chairman Allan Kasavuli read the riot act to rebellious club members, insisting they would not allow in-fighting to prevail.

“We want to reaffirm that we are the officials and that we are still in charge. We have suspended them (the rebellious group) with immediate effect. They are older members of the team and they should act as role models to us.”

“They lost elections and should wait until our term ends,” a visibly irritated Kasavuli said shortly after he had watched the team train under the guidance of assistant coach Yusuf Chipo.

Flanked by club stewards, Kasavuli said that the club belongs to the members and it should not be derailed by people who have “ulterior motives”.

On Saturday, the Opwora-led group claimed leadership of the club in a hurriedly organised meeting that was marred by chaos after they were confronted by a camp allied to Kasavuli that was led by serving organising secretary Timothy Lilumbi.

MIENO JOINS TUSKER

Meanwhile, the club has cleared creative midfielder Humphrey Mieno to join cross-town rivals Tusker. The former KCB, Azam and Sofapaka midfielder had grown frustrated at the den following a contract dispute with the club, and Kasavuli was quick to state that they had let him pursue his dream.

“We can only keep players who have Ingwe's interests in their heart and want to play for the club,” he said.

Mieno joins utility man James Situma, who also sealed a move to the Francis Kimanzi-coached side on similar grounds.

At the same time, the club's management says its going through the resumes of seven coaches, among them ex-club coach Luc Eymael and Romanian Dorian Marin, for the vacant job. The club parted ways with Pieter de Jongh and are in the market for a replacement.

“We haven’t settled on anyone. There are seven applications we are looking at. In the meantime, Chipo (Yusuf) remains in charge,” he explained.