AFC Leopards formalize signing of budding midfielder
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Reading Time: 2min | Fri. 16.01.26. | 21:36
Ambani in an earlier interview with Mozzart Sport hoped to nurture the youngster like Kelly Madada, who went through a similar path to good effect
FKF Premier League club AFC Leopards have finally formalized the signing of youthful midfielder Dennis Kikwae.
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Ingwe, in a social media post on Friday, 16 January, announced that the former Butere Boys High School captain had officially joined the club, following the successful completion of his secondary school studies.
“From Butere Boys High School - The Exodus - Dennis Kikwae, a skillful midfielder has joined the den,” the 12-time Premier League champions wrote. “Early last year, Dennis lit up the Kenya Secondary Schools Sports Association (KSSSA) scene, helping his former school qualify for the East African School games.
Congratulations to Dennis too for scoring a C+ in the 2025 Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE).”
Kikwae’s official signing comes months after Mozzart Sport exclusively reported on his imminent signing in September last year, just weeks after he had impressed at the Federation of East Africa Secondary Schools Sports Associations (FEASSSA) Games in Kakamega.
Kikwae, known for his trademark defence-splitting passes, was a standout for the Exodus, scoring 56 goals from the zonal qualifiers to the East African stage.
At the East Africa level, he netted four goals, and led Butere Boys to an unbeaten run to the semi-finals.
In addition to those exploits, Kikwae also became the first captain in the school’s history to guide any sporting discipline to the East African level.
Mozzart Sport understood at the time that AFC Leopards coach Fred Ambani personally scouted the youngster during the games, before moving ahead of FKF Premier League side Kakamega Homeboyz to snap up the midfielder.
Speaking early this season on signing Kikwae for what is believed to be a five-year contract, Ambani said: “It is a plus to the team. I am a coach who loves blending youth players and senior ones. It is helpful to have young players who are developing because it helps them learn more about the team and its philosophy, so that when other players leave, you always have a replacement from within, instead of hiring from outside.”
In 2024, Ingwe made a similar move when they snapped up young midfielder Kelly Madada, and Ambani believed Kikwae would be nurtured in a similar way to the former Shanderema Boys High School alumnus.
