Shikanda, Ambani trade accusations over AFC Leopards’ finances

A public dispute has erupted between former AFC Leopards chairman Dr. Dan Shikanda and his successor Boniface Ambani, after Ambani accused the club’s previous management of leaving the Kenyan Premier League side in serious financial and legal distress.

In a statement posted on social media late on Thursday, Ambani claimed the former leadership oversaw “systemic looting” that ranged from mishandled gate collections and questionable training-ground deals to unpaid hotel bills and frozen bank accounts, which he said nearly led to the auctioning of club assets.

Ambani further alleged that AFC Leopards had been left burdened with multiple court cases, heavy fines, and debts that had undermined both operations and reputation.

However, in a lengthy response on Friday, Shikanda dismissed the allegations as baseless and challenged Ambani to produce evidence.

“Facts over fiction any day,” he wrote. “Leadership is about fixing problems and letting results speak, not crying the loudest on Facebook.”

Shikanda denied that players’ salaries, allowances or sign-on fees were misappropriated during his tenure, and demanded that Ambani name specific players, amounts, and dates to support his claims.

He acknowledged that the club faced several legal cases but said most of them predated his administration. Shikanda said that when he took over, he inherited disputes dating back to 2013 and 2014, including the widely cited Sejere case, and that his team had since “professionally” closed more than 15 cases.

“We had a formal handover where financials, debts, and pending issues were tabled,” he wrote, urging Ambani to “lead rather than lament.”

Shikanda also questioned Ambani’s moral standing to accuse others of corruption, noting that Ambani’s brother had served in the club’s technical bench as assistant coach and later acting head coach.

“How much exactly was ‘chewed’ there? Transparency should begin at home,” he added.

Ambani, who has described his tenure as a mission to “rescue the club from years of mismanagement,” maintained that he had inherited an organization “hollowed out by insiders.”

He alleged that previous officials received gate collections through personal M-Pesa accounts and signed “unscrupulous” deals while neglecting the club’s women’s and junior teams.

“This club has suffered for a long time. Together with the NEC, we shall fix all that mess,” he wrote, adding that his administration had already begun addressing liabilities and stabilizing operations within its first four months.

Ambani also said he had asked former players and coaches with pending cases against the club to adopt a “measured approach” as efforts continued to resolve disputes. 

“AFC will unleash its claws very soon. It’s walking stealthily… We are sharpening those claws,” he declared.

The confrontation underscores long-running governance tensions at one of Kenya’s oldest and most popular football clubs. Supporters and analysts have expressed concern that internal wrangles and court battles could divert focus from on-field performance and delay financial recovery.

Neither side has produced documentary evidence to support their claims. Ambani has listed alleged abuses and outcomes, while Shikanda has demanded verifiable records. Analysts say the dispute may persist unless an independent audit or the club’s National Executive Committee (NEC) publishes a transparent report on its finances and legal obligations.

For now, the clash has moved from boardroom discussions to the public arena, with both men appealing to supporters’ loyalty and the club’s storied legacy. How the matter is resolved will be closely watched by fans, sponsors, and football authorities in Kenya.