AFC Leopards receive cash from Sakaja ahead of 60th anniversary celebrations

By Luttah Njomo

Plans for AFC Leopards' 60th Anniversary have gained momentum after officials started engaging in key meetings to make the event a success.

In the latest round of meetings, Ingwe officials met Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja who is an ardent supporter of the FKF football side.

Sakaja who served as the club patron till 2022 when Alex Muteshi assumed the role, vowed to support Ingwe in planning for the anniversary as well as in the football activities.

To actualize his promise to AFC Leopards, the Nairoi governor gave the officials huge sums of money whose value was not immediately revealed.

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"Held discussions with the leadership of AFC Leopards earlier when they called on me at my office as their former Patron.

We discussed the forthcoming 60th anniversary this April which has a series of activities commemorating our great team. I offered and continue to give my full support to Ingwe," Sakaja said after the meeting.

Before the meeting with AFC Leopard officials, Sakaja had invited President William Ruto to attend the Anniversary slated for March. He invited the Head of State during the ground-breaking of the Talanta Sports City in Jamhuri, Nairobi on Friday March 1.

The anniversary is marked to celebrate when AFC Leopards was founded in March 1964 following the amalgamation of Marama, Samia United and Bunyore; all Nairobi-based clubs that were in Division 1 of the Kenya Nation Football League.

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The club was founded under the name Abaluhya United FC. Immediately after its establishment, the club started dominating the local football arena with famous wins.

Months after its formation, Ingwe were crowned Ahsan Cup champions after beating Muslim 3-2. This was followed with another trophy later in the year when we beat Luo Union F.C.2-1 and lifted the Saba-Saba Cup which was introduced to mark Tanganyika’s Independence Day.

Abaluhya beat the visiting Third Battalion Parachute Regiment from England 2-1 in their first international match ever. The scorers were Elishah Shabasinya and Joe Kadenge.

In 1980 Abaluhya FC changed its name to AFC Leopard and went on to win major trophies in the country. So far, AFC has bagged 12 league titles, 10 FKF Cups and five CECAFA Club Championship crowns.

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What's lined up for the Anniversary?

To mark the 60th anniversary, AFC Leopards is set to a friendly match against Spanish non-league side AE Ramassa.

Secretary General Gilbert Andugu announced that Ingwe will feature their legends against the side after FKF advised against playing the current first-team players.

"There is an invitation of a Spanish team that is expected to be in the country to play Leopards in a friendly match. Although we wanted the visitors to play against our senior team, unfortunately FKF has advised us otherwise," Andugu stated.

“So we will nevertheless field our former players who are our legends to play that day. We will have a good team of legends who still have the firepower to showcase good football,” he added.

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