Three Cleared To Vie For Sleeping SPL Giants Leopards Chairmanship

NAIROBI, Kenya- Three candidates have been cleared to vie for the chairmanship of SportPesa Premier League (SPL) sleeping giants AFC Leopards SC as the clubs once again seeks the leadership that will restore the glory of the 12-time domestic champions.

According to a statement released by the AFC Leopards Elections Management Group (EMG), Daniel Akala Shikanda, Ronald Mukoya Namai and Ben Musundi Walibuah have the green light to vie for the top post.

Also cleared to run were Oliver Napali Imbezi and Maurice Chichi Choge for the post of Club Treasurer with the EMG declaring the post of Secretary General held by Oscar Igaida has ‘no contestant.’

“The EMG received six nominations in total. After a thorough verification process, the EMG is pleased to announce the following as the validly cleared candidates to contest in the 2019 AFC Leopards SC election,” part of the statement listing the successful candidates read.

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Akala, Mukoya and Musundi will vying to succeed incumbent chairman, Dan Mule, who declined to run for a second term at the troubled club that tentatively finished the 2018/19 in 10th position after accruing 43 points from 34 games, winning 11, drawing 10 and losing 13 in what was an underwhelming season by their high standards.

Leopards could be knocked out of the top 10 in the final standings should Ulinzi Stars FC (42) draw or beat relegated Mt. Kenya United FC in their rescheduled fixture on Sunday since the soldiers have a better goal difference (0 against -6)

Mule was elected Ingwe chairman on July 24, 2016 after a turbulent leadership tussle and during his tenure, the team won the 2017 SportPesa Shield Cup after reaching the final of the inaugural SportPesa Cup where they fell 0-3 to bitter rivals Gor Mahia FC in Dar-es-Salaam, Tanzania.

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Mule beat Mombasa-based businessman Maurice Amahawa by 338 votes to clinch the seat.

Official frustration

Mule, who was co-chairman at the club’s Interim Management Committee until his election garnered 1,160 votes against Amahwa’s 822.

Former Football Kenya Federation vice-chairman Robert Asembo got only 119 votes, while Mathews Opwora pulled eight votes despite the fact that he had announced the withdraw of his candidacy three days to the election.

In opting to not defend his seat, Mule cited frustration from fellow Executive Committee officials in implementing his vision of taking the club that last won the league title in 1998 forward with the former Leopards Embakasi Branch chairman saying he would continue his involvement in football through another outfit.

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Ingwe started the campaign with another round of managerial musical chairs when Serbian tactician Nikola Kavazovic who had been offered the job quit and paid the club KSh500,000 signing fee before even the campaign started to join Free State Stars of South Africa.

Countryman Marko Vasiljevic who arrived as his assistant was then given the head coach role but barely two months later, he also resigned following a humiliating 1-4 SPL defeat to Bandari FC that continued a poor run of results that saw Leopards deep in the relegation zone.

The club tried to lure their former interim manager, the popular Tanzanian Dennis Kitambi but after failing to secure his services, turned to Rwandese national Andre Cassa Mbungo.

Mbungo who led Rwandese outfit Kiyovu FC to finish third in their league having led the 2017/18 campaign for most of the season, steadied the ship and secured their top flight status besides leading the club to the quarterfinals of the Shield.

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