Imbalambala locked out of house over rent

What you need to know:

  • After two months without pay, players are - literally - begging for survival. On Monday evening, club captain Martin Imbalambala was locked out of his Thika flat due to two months’ rent arrears.
  • “On Monday, I returned from Kitui where I had gone to visit my ailing maternal grandfather with my family only to find my door locked due to rent arrears. I had no way out,” a hurting Imbalambala said.
  • Opwora sent an additional Sh10,000 Tuesday to ease the pressure from an unforgiving landlord. Still, he has a pending Sh10,000 to clear. “I’m in a fix because I have not been paid for three months.

The financial crisis at AFC Leopards is now turning out to be a national shame as one of the country’s most popular clubs continues to limp from one obstacle to another.

After two months without pay, players are - literally - begging for survival. On Monday evening, club captain Martin Imbalambala was locked out of his Thika flat due to two months’ rent arrears.

With the club’s bona fide officials missing - as has sadly been the case the past couple of months - it took took the intervention of a good samaritan, Mathew Opwora, to save Imbalambala’s family from spending the night in biting cold.

When Daily Nation Sport team caught up with him at his Kamenu residence in Thika yesterday, Imbalambala was clearly in pain; Psychological and financial. But despite his sorry state, he admirably remains very diplomatic.

Aware that being the captain comes with many responsibilities, he put up a brave face to plead the case for the entire team. “This is not about Martin, it’s not about me, but rather the welfare of the club. The players are struggling, they’re hurting and in very difficult situation.

“On Monday, I returned from Kitui where I had gone to visit my ailing maternal grandfather with my family only to find my door locked due to rent arrears. I had no way out,” a hurting Imbalambala said.

The player lives in a Sh15,000-a-month flat and had been given a Monday evening ultimatum to settle the arrears. His efforts to seek help from the club chairman, Allan Kasavuli, failed. The man did not bother.

“The chairman promised to get back to me in five minutes. He didn’t,” Imbalambala said. Had it not been for the goodwill of Opwora, who sent him Sh10,000 via M-Pesa, his young family probably would have spent the night in the cold.

NOT BEEN PAID FOR 3 MONTHS

Opwora sent an additional Sh10,000 Tuesday to ease the pressure from an unforgiving landlord. Still, he has a pending Sh10,000 to clear. “I’m in a fix because I have not been paid for three months.

My wife is a college student; shes’s not working, I have to pay her fees while I have a son to feed and grandparents at home, who look up to me,” said the 26-year-old utility player, who has offered a distinguished service to the club since 2009, rising through the ranks to skipper the team.

Since joining Leopards straight from Vihiga High School, Imbalambla has not known any other club, but now he feels enough is enough.
Imbalambala says the players are still owed four months’ salary arrears dating back to February.

His last game for Ingwe was on April 25, a 1-0 league loss to Tusker at the Nyayo National Stadium where he picked up an ankle injury. “I’m currently on rehabilitation. I’m supposed to resume light training tomorrow (today).”

Leopards are walking a tight financial rope owing to lack of shirt sponsors. Even though many are suffering in silence, its only Imbalambala and Burundian forward Emmanuel Ngama, who have summoned the courage to come out and share their predicament.

The players were last weekend given Sh200,000 by Westlands MP Tim Wanyonyi to share after they had threatened not to travel to Kisumu to honour a league match.