Dan Shikanda lists three reasons why AFC Leopards will win the league this season
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Reading Time: 3min | Tue. 04.11.25. | 12:31
Leopards last won the league crown in 1998, a year when the current coach served as a striker at the club
Former AFC Leopards chairman Dan Shikanda has expressed strong confidence that the club will finally end its long-standing league title drought, outlining three key reasons he believes will propel the team to glory in the 2025/26 Football Kenya Federation Premier League (FKF-PL) campaign.
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Speaking to SPM Buzz TV, the seasoned football administrator pointed to quality signings, team cohesion, and a well-balanced squad as the main ingredients that could steer Ingwe to their first league crown since 1998.
"This is the year AFC Leopards will win the league, not because of the office, chairman, or coach, but because of a good team.
The club has made the right signings, the players have gelled well, and the squad is balanced. This is a formidable side that has been together for three to four years, and I am confident this is their season,” said Shikanda.
AFC Leopards have gone 27 years without lifting the league title, a run they are determined to end under head coach Fred Ambani.
After a slow start to the season that saw them held to consecutive draws against Bandari (0-0), Posta Rangers (2-2), and Sofapaka (1-1), pressure began to mount on Ambani and his technical bench, with a section of fans calling for their dismissal.
However, Leopards have since turned their fortunes around, stringing together three consecutive wins, beating KCB and Shabana by identical 2-1 scorelines before dispatching Mathare United 2-0 last weekend.
The upturn in form has catapulted the 12-time league champions to third place on the 18-team log with 12 points, just two behind leaders Kakamega Homeboyz and one adrift of Gor Mahia, though Ingwe still has a game in hand.
Shikanda lauded the club’s recent signings of; James Kinyanjui, Samuel Sseeyonjo, Elias Mugane, Brian Ojok, and Tyson Otieno, as impactful additions who have already strengthened the squad.
Kinyanjui and Sseeyonjo have so far found the back of the net, while Ojok and Otieno have established themselves as regular features in the matchday squad.
"The team started sluggishly, but I told people AFC is well-oiled and properly structured. The new signings have added depth and competition to an already solid unit. I can assure you, despite off-pitch distractions, this is a team ready to fight for the title,” he said.
The former international, who also turned out for Gor Mahia during his playing days, urged fans to remain patient and supportive, emphasizing that success in football is a gradual process.
"I urge Leopards fans to be patient because Rome was not built in a day. The unnecessary pressure on the coach and players only distracts the team. To the players, I say, play for yourselves and the club. Remember, success brings its own rewards; I am a living example of that,” he added.
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