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AFC Leopards Chairman Aspirant Bonface Ngaira Ambani Unveils Ambitious Transformation Blueprint
Gerald Kombo
June 26, 2025
Former National Player and Technical Director Promises Complete Club Overhaul to Restore Ingwe's Glory Days
In an exclusive interview following his manifesto launch at KCB Towers, Bonface Ngaira Ambani, a leading aspirant for AFC Leopards chairmanship, outlined an ambitious transformation plan that could fundamentally reshape one of Kenya's most storied football clubs. Drawing from his extensive experience as a former national team player, coach, and technical director, Ambani presented a comprehensive vision that addresses the club's most pressing challenges while positioning it for sustainable success.
The Restructuring Imperative: From Participation to Competition
Ambani's central thesis revolves around a fundamental shift in the club's approach to football.
"We have just been participating. We are no longer competing. We are going for competition. We will now need players who are going to compete." His proposed solution involves a complete restructuring of the playing units, commercial operations, and administrative framework.
The aspirant's background brings unique credibility to this ambitious undertaking. Having worn multiple hats in Kenyan football - from representing the national team as a player to shaping technical strategy as a director - Ambani understands the ecosystem from both tactical and administrative perspectives. This diverse experience positions him to identify systemic issues that previous administrations may have overlooked.
"AFC Leopards is a brand, a very, very big brand. So we need to get it back with focus so that it can gain its international status." His vision extends beyond mere on-field improvements to encompass a complete commercial and operational transformation that leverages the club's substantial fanbase. While Ambani mentioned over 10 million supporters nationwide in the interview, recent reports indicate AFC Leopards registered 6,955 members in 2025 (as of April 28), showing a significant increase from 2024. The club has also seen an increase in registered branches, signifying a growing, albeit more formally tracked, fan base.
Financial Crisis and the Path to Sustainability
Perhaps the most revealing aspect of Ambani's interview was his frank assessment of the club's financial predicament. The aspirant disclosed that AFC Leopards spent approximately 5 million shillings over two years solely on hiring training facilities - a staggering figure that underscores the inefficiency of the current operational model.
"We have just been depending on one [revenue stream], which is gate collection. Also, if he [the sponsor] walks out, the club is in trouble." Ambani explained, identifying the dangerous over-reliance on matchday income that has left the club vulnerable to financial instability. His proposed diversification strategy encompasses multiple revenue streams, each designed to create a more robust financial foundation.
Recent financial reports provide more context to AFC Leopards' financial situation. For the year ending December 31, 2023 (the latest publicly available audited report), the club recorded a deficit of Ksh 8,596,663. While the club reported a surplus of Ksh 4,130,611 for the year ending December 31, 2024 (as per initial reports), this was largely attributed to a surge in sponsorship income (Ksh 103,964,099, primarily from Azam TV and Betika) and increased FKF broadcasting rights. However, current liabilities remained high at Ksh 129,737,712 as of December 31, 2024. The outgoing chairman, Dan Shikanda, recently stated that AFC Leopards spends between Ksh 10-12 million on logistics per month, totaling around Ksh 37 million per season, highlighting the ongoing financial pressures despite the reported surplus.
The planned revenue diversification includes securing dedicated sponsors for various aspects of club operations:
"We need to have a sponsor for our training sessions. We need to have a sponsor for traveling. We need sponsors for the junior teams. We need sponsors for the ladies team." This granular approach to sponsorship represents a significant departure from the traditional model of seeking a single title sponsor, potentially making partnerships more accessible to smaller businesses while reducing dependency on any single funding source.
Ambani also highlighted the untapped potential in membership mobilization:
"We also need to step up in our membership mobilization, because those members are the ones who will support the club." This aligns with the club's recent success in increasing its formal membership numbers.
Infrastructure Development: A Long-term Investment Strategy
The absence of a dedicated training facility emerged as a critical infrastructure gap that Ambani views as both a major weakness and a significant opportunity. His vision for establishing a proper training complex goes beyond addressing immediate needs to creating a long-term revenue-generating asset.
"The club, up to now, does not even have any training facility. When the club has a training facility, it's going to be easier for the players. It's going to be easy for us to develop, and it's going to be a long-term project." The financial impact of this infrastructure gap is significant: "I looked at the last two years' financial report, it said that we used almost 5 million in hiring facilities, in hiring grounds for us to train." Ambani's plan involves utilizing the club's 90 branches to collectively secure a 20-acre piece of land on the outskirts of Nairobi to establish a state-of-the-art training complex. This aligns with competitor aspirant Vincent Mutoka's similar emphasis on acquiring club-owned land and developing a permanent training ground within a two-year plan. There has also been a recent offer from Bungoma Governor Ken Lusaka to provide Masinde Muliro Stadium as a home ground for AFC Leopards, offering another potential avenue for infrastructure development.
Ambani's forward-thinking approach reflects understanding of football's evolving commercial landscape:
"In the long run, it will also be an income-generating venture, because any club that's outside there that wants to come to train in the country, they'll have to hire the facility." The timing of this infrastructure push is particularly relevant given Kenya's growing profile as a tournament host: "Right now, Kenya is hosting tournaments... Ghana, Cameroon, Nigeria, they're coming to Kenya looking for training facilities that are well equipped."
Player Recruitment and Quality Enhancement
Central to Ambani's transformation plan is a fundamental shift in player recruitment philosophy. His emphasis on quality over quantity signals a move away from squad-filling toward merit-based selection.
"We need to get quality players. Any player who thinks that once you play for AFC Leopards must, must fight for the badge. That badge is not small, not easy, but any player who comes in must understand the weight of the badge." The aspirant acknowledged the complexity of immediate squad overhaul: "At the moment, we have players in the club. We need to get into office. We have to understand which players are on contract, which contracts are running out, the technical bench - who are they retaining? Who do they want?" His timeline for significant change is realistic yet ambitious: "It's going to take maybe a few months before we get back... We don't actually know the financial status, so we try to make sure that whatever we have, we make it better, as we think of getting to the next level."
Commercial Strategy and Brand Monetization
Ambani's commercial vision extends to merchandise and brand monetization, areas where AFC Leopards has historically underperformed despite its massive fanbase. His analysis reveals sophisticated understanding of production economics:
"For a long time, the merchandise has always been quite expensive, but we are trying to get systems that will at least retain the quality but lower the price." His solution demonstrates understanding of economies of scale: "You cannot go for production of 2,000 jerseys and then you think you're going to lower the price. At least go for more than 50,000 jerseys, 100,000 jerseys. When the production levels up, the prices will go down." With the club's large supporter base, this approach could democratize access to merchandise: "With a fanbase of more than 10 million fans all over the country, we need to increase our merchandise, especially replicas." This strategy is echoed by other aspirants, indicating a shared understanding of this untapped revenue stream.
Fan Engagement and Governance Philosophy
Ambani's approach to supporter relations reflects understanding that fan satisfaction ultimately depends on on-field success:
"Our supporters know what they need. They need performance. They need quality. The only present that we can give them is winning, trophies, quality squad." His governance philosophy appears to balance supporter consultation with professional decision-making, recognizing fans as crucial stakeholders whose primary expectation is competitive success. The emphasis on delivering results reflects realistic understanding of fan expectations after years of underperformance.
Debt Management and Financial Transparency
Addressing the club's financial challenges, Ambani demonstrated both awareness and caution:
"There are so many debts in the club, but when you get to office, you sit down and try to understand where the debts are. We'll try to negotiate with the creditors." This honest assessment suggests a methodical approach to financial management rather than unrealistic promises about immediate debt clearance. Despite a reported financial surplus for 2024, AFC Leopards' current liabilities remained substantial (Ksh 129,737,712 as of December 31, 2024), underscoring the importance of a robust debt management strategy.
Strategic Partnerships and Long-term Vision
Throughout the interview, Ambani repeatedly emphasized the importance of partnerships in achieving transformation goals:
"We need to bring in partners who will work with the club for a very long time." This partnership-focused approach suggests recognition that AFC Leopards' challenges require external collaboration and investment rather than relying solely on internal resources.
Quality Standards and Professional Culture
Ambani's vision extends beyond tactical improvements to encompass a cultural transformation:
"That's number one priority. Fans need trophies. We need trophies, and without trophies, there's nothing. So we need quality players." This focus on results-oriented culture reflects understanding that sustainable success requires both systemic changes and mentality shifts throughout the organization.
Timeline and Implementation Strategy
Rather than promising immediate transformation, Ambani presented a realistic implementation timeline:
"We're looking at major changes... but we don't know the financial status, so we try to make sure that whatever we have, we make it better, as we think of getting to the next level." This measured approach suggests understanding that sustainable change requires careful assessment and gradual implementation rather than dramatic immediate overhauls.
Closing Vision: Professional Management for Long-term Success
Ambani concluded his interview with a clear message to supporters:
"My closing remarks is just to tell the fans they have a choice to make. The club has been suffering for a long time. The club has been run unprofessionally, and Ambani is coming in to restructure everything and get the team back on track." This statement encapsulates his central promise: bringing professional management standards to a club that has struggled with governance and operational efficiency.
Challenges and Realistic Expectations
Ambani's candid acknowledgment of existing challenges demonstrates practical awareness rather than unrealistic optimism. His admission about unknown financial details reflects honest assessment, suggesting a methodical approach to problem-solving that prioritizes thorough evaluation before implementation.
The timeline he proposes for significant change - several months for assessment followed by gradual implementation - reflects understanding that sustainable transformation requires careful planning and execution rather than dramatic immediate changes.
The Broader Context: Kenyan Football Development
Ambani's vision for AFC Leopards extends beyond club-specific improvements to encompass broader contributions to Kenyan football development. His infrastructure plans could benefit the national team and other clubs, while his emphasis on quality standards could help raise overall league competitiveness. The Football Kenya Federation (FKF) is also undertaking its own radical plans to restructure Kenyan football, including potentially reducing the number of teams in the top flight and reorganizing lower leagues, which could impact the competitive landscape for clubs like AFC Leopards.
The timing of his candidacy coincides with growing international attention on Kenyan football and the government's commitment to improving sports infrastructure. The FKF has also announced plans to improve safety at matches by abolishing the use of teargas and training police officers, which could enhance the fan experience and attract more supporters to games.
Conclusion: A Comprehensive Transformation Agenda
Bonface Ngaira Ambani's manifesto represents a comprehensive transformation plan presented by an AFC Leopards leadership aspirant. His combination of playing experience, technical expertise, and administrative background provides credibility for ambitious promises, while his realistic timeline and pragmatic approach suggest understanding of implementation challenges.
The success of his vision will ultimately depend on execution capabilities, partnership development, and ability to navigate the complex financial and political dynamics that have historically hampered AFC Leopards. However, his systematic approach to addressing infrastructure, financial sustainability, player quality, and commercial development provides a roadmap that, if implemented effectively, could restore AFC Leopards to its position among East Africa's premier football clubs.
For the millions of AFC Leopards supporters who have endured years of disappointment, Ambani's candidacy offers hope grounded in practical solutions rather than empty promises. Whether this translates into the trophies and international recognition he envisions will depend on the execution of what appears to be the most comprehensive transformation plan the club has seen in years.
As the election approaches, AFC Leopards members face a choice between continuity and transformation. Ambani's vision clearly represents the latter, promising fundamental change that could either restore the club's glory or, if poorly executed, deepen existing challenges. The Special General Meeting for electing new National Executive Committee members, including the Chairman, is scheduled for June 29, 2025. The stakes, as always with AFC Leopards, could not be higher.