‘Sponsors Don’t Like Noise’ - AFC Leopards Warned Over Unending ‘Catfights’

AFC Leopards have been read a riot act by their main sponsor over the unending turf wars at the club.

The Leopards fraternity has always had to deal with push and pull from different quarters with competing interests sometimes delaying decision making processes.

Down the years, Ingwe’s progress has stalled due to leadership wrangles which saw some officials ousted from their positions while fans also never miss an opportunity to make their feelings known either to the club’s leadership, players or coaches.

While the current regime of chairman Boniface Ambani is yet to deal with such problems on a scale that would make operations difficult, sentiments at the club’s end of the season gala last week brought to the fore some of the issues officials are dealing with.

Leopards CEO Ronald Namai made his feelings known at the gala when he complained about getting abused from various quarters, vowing to soldier on, while club secretary general Issac Mulindi also talked about dealing with the same.

That prompted an advice from the club’s main sponsor Betika, whose CEO Mutua Mutava told them to close ranks and work as one if they want to realise Leopards’ ambitions of winning the FKF Premier League.

“Which is the biggest club in Kenya in terms of fanbase? It is AFC Leopards. So if someone is in a leadership position, why should you abuse them?” Mutava posed.

“When you are a leader, you let other people emulate you and just relax. You work without pressure. Do you know why I am saying this? It is because I have seen leaders who have come here talking about getting abused.

“When you are a leader, you behave like one. You stay composed and so, let us be good people.”

While reaffirming the betting firm’s commitment to Ingwe, the Betika boss warned the club over the potential repercussions of their unending feuds.

“We [Betika] have come from far with you from the past regime to the next one but you have some petty politics. Betika is here because it loves AFC, we are not here because of anybody,” he further stated, before adding: “I need you to understand this, sponsors do not like noise.”

Leopards had one of their best seasons in the last decade when they finished second in 2025-26 and have expressed ambitions of dislodging Gor Mahia and winning the title in 2026-27.