Ipo Siku chants as Ambani Returns..
A lethal striker in his heyday and a no-nonsense tactician in his coaching career, Bonface Ngaira Ambani is now gunning for the highest office at his boyhood club, AFC Leopards. As elections loom, Ambani has officially thrown his hat into the ring for the chairmanship, promising nothing short of a total transformation.
Feared and loathed by defenders during his playing days, yet adored by home fans, Ambani’s legacy precedes him. Now, the man once known for his clinical finishing wants to replicate that same precision and decisiveness in club leadership.
“Anyone interested should start preparing to be defeated. When I set my sights on something, I go for it wholeheartedly—it’s never trial and error,” Ambani said with trademark confidence.
The former striker, who turned out for AFC Leopards, Oserian FC, Tanzania’s Yanga SC, and India’s Kerala Blasters, speaks of his ambition with passion anchored in history and emotion.
“My love story with AFC began when I was still a young boy. We dreamt of donning the famous blue and white. The chants of Kadenge na mpira on KBC Kiswahili service sent our entire village into a frenzy. When the opportunity to play for Leopards came during the tenure of Chairman Francis Chahonyo, I grabbed it with both arms,” he recalls.
Ambani’s proudest moment remains the club’s last league triumph in 1998—an era when he and his brother Fred etched their names into Leopards’ folklore.
Yet, it is that same success that now haunts him. AFC Leopards have endured a painful 27-year league title drought, watching arch-rivals Gor Mahia stretch their record to 21 titles, while Tusker FC edges ever closer, sitting just one title behind Leopards.
“I feel pain watching Leopards falter year after year,” Ambani says. “A club of our stature should be toe-to-toe with Mamelodi Sundowns, Zamalek, Esperance, and Yanga. We must restore our continental footprint.”
His bold declaration is supported by a growing list of former players and football stakeholders who believe in his vision. Among them are Allan Wanga, former international James Situma, Sammy Shollei and even Homeboyz FC chairman Cleophas Shimanyula—an unexpected but significant endorsement.
Ambani is running on a platform of integrity, discipline, and vision. He does not mince his words.
“I don’t sugarcoat, I don’t yield to blackmail, and I say it as it is. We need transparency, proper recruitment, quality merchandise, and a strategic footballing direction.”
He believes these changes are critical to steering Leopards out of the shadows of mismanagement and mediocrity.
But it won’t be a walk in the park. Ambani faces stiff competition from seasoned contenders Ronald Namai and Enos Mutokaa, both of whom have also expressed their interest in the top job.
The race for the Leopards’ chairmanship is heating up. As the clock ticks toward election day, one question hangs in the air: Will AFC Leopards place their faith in the self-declared “Duke of Shiseno” to lead the country’s oldest football club back to glory?
Time will tell. For now, Ambani and his passionate supporters are united by one hope—#IpoSiku—that elusive day when Leopards will roar again.
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