Western leaders back AFC Leopards' privatisation plans

Leaders from Western region where AFC Leopards enjoys a big following have backed the call to have the club turn into a corporate entity and allow members to buy shares.

The politicians including Chief Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi, Cabinet Secretary for Youth Affairs, Creative Economy and Sports, Ababu Namwamba, Governors Johnson Sakaja (Nairobi) and Ken Lusaka (Bungoma), Senator Edwin Sifuna (Nairobi) and MPs Timothy Wanyonyi (Westlands), George Aladwa (Makadara) and Fred Ikana (Shinyalu) said the move will end the club’s financial difficulties.

They spoke on Sunday when they joined President William Ruto and football fans at Nyayo National Stadium to mark the club's 60th anniversary celebrations.

AFC Leopards was established in March 1964.

The President had earlier challenged the club to adopt a corporate model when he hosted the Ingwe@60 officials led by Alexander Muteshi at State House in Nairobi.

Leopards used the celebrations that began on March 12 to transform the club into a corporate self-reliant entity.

Musalia promised to walk with the club in their transformation journey, urging members to agree and change the current structures and implement the idea.

“Let them have a strategic plan and we shall support them,” said the former club patron.

Wanyonyi, who has also supported the club for many years, said: “Our club has been facing financial constraints, and the ultimate solution is to turn it into a company. That is the way to go.”

Ikana said: “I’m in support of the move as it is the only way to attract serious sponsors and save our club from eminent collapse.”

Speaking on behalf of AFC Leopards’ branches, Lucky Summer branch chairman, Thadayo Obanda urged Ingwe supporters to embrace the transformative agenda, adding that updating the club constitution will allow more members from other communities to come on board.

Club chairman, Dan Shikanda said a group of like-minded stakeholders will meet members to enlighten them about the proposed changes to the club structures.

“The office is already working on a blueprint to transform Ingwe into a limited company and members will be given a chance to air their views. Leopards requires over 100 million annually to be financially stable, but we don’t have that kind of money to meet our expenditures,” he said.