AFC Leopards U45 branch chairperson Olympia Musonye, has accused the club’s top leadership of deliberately hindering the distribution of the team’s replica jerseys across the country.Musonye, who is also vying for the club’s chairmanship, believes the lack of accessible merchandise is limiting the club’s revenue growth, particularly through fan merchandise sales.Musonye has proposed that the club’s executive relinquish its responsibility for selling the shirts and instead set up officially recognized shops where fans can easily purchase Ingwe merchandise.##NAJAVA_MECA_8711219##He emphasized that this move would ensure that all proceeds from the sales go directly into the club’s accounts, supporting its financial growth.”In other clubs, merchandising contributes significantly to revenue, unlike AFC Leopards,” Musonye said during an interview on Citizen Digital.”When I buy a Ksh.2,000 shirt, I’ll gladly pay, but some fans want affordable items like scarves, which are hard to come by.”Musonye highlighted the struggles faced by fans in regions like Western, Coast, and Central Kenya, who often find it difficult to access the club’s replicas.Why highly-rated Rising Stars midfielder chose KCB over move to Europe”It’s unclear where you can find a Leopards replica jersey in Kakamega, which is our home ground,” he lamented. “The same situation exists in Bungoma, Coast, and other parts of the country.”He also pointed out the price differences, with replicas costing Ksh. 2,500 for members and Ksh. 3,000 for non-members.However, Musonye argued that many fans are unable to afford these prices.”Fans want affordable merchandise, like t-shirts or scarves, to wear proudly at games. The current pricing is putting a lot of potential buyers off,” he added.Ulinzi Stars captain reveals importance of his return to squadDespite these challenges, the Leopards are performing well in the league, currently sitting sixth with 30 points—just eight behind joint-leaders Police FC and Tusker.
