Ingwe, who are the second most successful club in the history of Kenyan football, are scheduled to hold their Special General Meeting (SGM) on June 29th, at a venue that will be announced later. The main agenda for the SGM will be to elect the new National Executive Committee members.
The term of the current NEC members will be coming to an end. Members will have an opportunity to vote for their new leaders in all three elective posts – Chairman, Secretary General, and Treasurer. The National Executive Committee has already constituted the club’s Election Management Group (EMG) in line with the upcoming elections, who have already come up with an election roadmap and timelines that will guide members and aspirants in the entire election process.
The Members of the Election Management Group will be led by Chairman Tony Lawrence, Hosea Kisienya (Secretary), Moffat Mutiva (Member), and Temina Minage (Member). The EMG has already cleared Ambani to vie for the top seat currently held by Dan Shikanda, alongside former AFC Leopards commercial director Enos Mutuka.
Former CEO Ronald Namai, who also expressed interest in vying for the top seat, was not cleared by IEBC, making the chairmanship a two-horse race.
Ambani outlines vision to revive AFC Leopards
The former Harambee Stars striker has now pledged a total restructuring of Ingwe, targeting key areas such as finance, technical structure, and marketing, and further pledged full transparency and accountability with the eye firmly on winning the club the Premier League title.
Ingwe’s last league success came in 1998, while their last trophy triumph – the domestic cup – was realised in 2017, and ironically, Ambani was part of the squad. During the triumphant season, Ingwe finished top of the table, three points ahead of second-placed Mumias Sugar to win their 12th title in history.
In the following campaign, Ingwe failed to defend the title, finishing second, and it is from then until now that they are still searching for the elusive crown. The last trophy for Ingwe was the FKF Cup, then the GOtv Shield, which arrived on October 20th, 2017, following a 2-0 victory against Sharks.
Under coach Robert Matano, Ingwe scored through defender Abdalla Salim and forward Vincent Oburu to win the final and clinch the domestic Cup.
“It is time for change, time for change for sure, 27 good years without a trophy is not a great history for a big club like AFC Leopards. I have been a supporter of this team, I have been a fan from when I was a small boy, later on I played for the team, and we won the last title, that was 27 years ago,” Ambani told Flashscore.
“My leadership style will be open to everyone, I want AFC Leopards fans to get back the joy they have lacked for many years, we must change our style of management, so as to achieve our target, it is a new dawn, for the club, we are AFC Leopards, we deserve to challenge for trophies, and I will make sure that we change, by competing for trophies in all fronts.
“It is time for AFC Leopards to be champions again, it is just a matter of time before AFC Leopards fans starting enjoying the fruits of my leadership, it is just a matter of time, what I can assure them, the trophy drought will come to an end under my leadership, AFC Leopards is a brand on itself, all we need to do is clean it up and get back the team where it is supposed to be.”
Ambani continued: “I left the club and ventured into other professional football outside the country, I came back and coached the team after retirement, so it is not something that is new to me.
“I left and went into football management, and I think you have seen the number of clubs I have managed at the top level, Mara Sugar being one of them, Sindo United, so I have been in football for a very long time, and I am coming home, just to set the record straight.
‘I believe in myself, I believe in what I can do, have done it, it is not rocket science, as I said have been in football for all those years, running football, living football, I have never left, so it is a challenge, now the transition from being a fan, a coach, and now into management, it is a tough one, but I know what I want and I believe, and the best thing I believe in myself, so if given a chance by the fans, I am 100 percent sure, I’ll give them what they have not been getting in the past years.”
Ambani further outlined a clear and principled agenda to revitalise the club and restore its standing as a footballing powerhouse. Ambani’s team, going for the top position under the slogan #IPOSIKU, comprises seasoned football administrators and technicians, is committed to re-establishing trust and ensuring the prosperity of AFC Leopards and all its stakeholders.
His campaign manifesto has addressed the significant erosion of confidence the club has experienced over the past two decades and proposes a holistic approach to transform governance and stakeholder mindset.
“AFC Leopards has a rich history, but we cannot ignore the challenges that have led to a decline in confidence from the football family and the general public,” offered Ambani. “My team and I believe this is the opportune moment to make a positive change.
“Our ‘IPOSIKU’ mantra is about bringing back life to the game, ensuring it’s rid of any delinquency, and fostering increased stakeholder participation.”
Ambani, who also played for Tusker in the Kenyan Premier League before crossing borders to play for Tanzania Mainland Premier League champions Young Africans (Yanga SC), added: “My administration must embrace the much-needed paradigm shift in order to realise the very success that has eluded us for successive years. We must change the way we do our transfer business, how we engage our commercial partners, how we procure our coaching staff and last but not least, accept the fact that our fanbase is the fulcrum of our survival.
“We must adopt a new modus operandi for this legendary club to have a fighting chance among her equals. We are AFC Leopards, and like they say the leopard doesn’t change its spots. Our spots have always been champions in everything we do.”
Ingwe, who suffered relegation from the top-tier in 2008 but regained straight promotion in 2009 after winning the lower division - National Super League (NSL) - have won the domestic competition 10 times, and the Council of East and Central Africa Football Association (CECAFA) Club Championship, now renamed to Kagame Cup five times.
Ambani receives endorsement for top seat
AFC Leopards Chair of Chairmen (COC) Franklin ‘Kuka’ Imbenzi is among the officials who have come out to endorse Ambani for the top seat. Imbezi believes to restore the roar of Ingwe, and reclaim their rightful place at the summit of Kenyan football, the club deserves the former player to take up the leadership mantle.
“It is not just about leadership; it’s about vision. It’s about restoring the roar of Ingwe, and reclaiming our rightful place at the summit of Kenyan football,” Imbenzi told Flashscore. “It is with great honor, full confidence, and deep conviction that I endorse a son of this club, a proven servant of the game, and a visionary leader — Bonface Ambani — for the position of Chairman of AFC Leopards.
“Ambani is not a stranger to this institution. He is a name that echoes through the corridors of our club's rich history — a striker who wore the blue and white with pride, a patriot who served Kenya with distinction, and a professional who carried our flag far and wide, across the footballing world.
“But beyond the goals he scored and the jersey he honoured, Bonface is a man of character, competence, and clarity. In him, we find a leader, who understands what it means to be on the pitch, in the dressing room, on the bench, and now — ready to serve from the boardroom.”
He continued: “This is not just an endorsement; it is a rallying call to all members, who believe, like I do, that AFC Leopards deserves better. And better is Bonface Ambani.
“As the Chair of Chairmen, representing our branches across the nation, I have listened to you. I have heard your frustrations. I have seen your aspirations. And I say this to you today: Change is here. It wears a familiar face, it speaks your language, it lives your passion — and that change is Ambani. Let us rise together and back a candidate, who combines football intelligence with leadership integrity. Let us write a new chapter in our history — one of stability, progress, and unity.”
Former AFC Leopards CEO Namai, who had stepped down for Ambani, has urged all Ingwe faithful to vote for a trustworthy man in Ambani and make sure that everything is right and the club’s good image is restored.
“I know Ambani because I have worked with him, he is the right person to secure our club's future,” said Namai.
AFC Leopards will go to the polls on Sunday, June 29th, with a new office expected to be elected to succeed the Shikanda-led team.
