Kakamega Senator Bonny Khalwale has dipped his toes into the turbulent arena of Kenyan football, boldly declaring himself as the man to revive AFC Leopards, a fading giant in the local scene. Follow Our WhatsApp Channel For More NewsSpeaking as a lifelong football enthusiast, Khalwale expressed deep concern over the club’s steady decline, attributing much of its woes to a lack of support from Kakamega County leadership.“When we drafted the new constitution, we placed amateur sports under county governments,” Khalwale said. “Look at the four Luo counties; their governors support Gor Mahia. ##NAJAVA_MECA_8953987##Shabana FC, which recently beat AFC Leopards, is backed by Governors Simba Arati (Kisii) and Amos Nyaribo (Nyamira). But here in Kakamega, the funds that should have supported AFC Leopards were handed to Toto to invest in Kakamega Homeboyz.”Cleophas Shimanyula, popularly known as Toto, is a businessman and the founder of Kakamega Homeboyz.##NAJAVA_MECA_8952649##Laying out his vision for AFC Leopards, Khalwale noted the need for long-term planning over short-lived gestures.“You can’t revive Leopards through one-off events,” he said. “Without a clear strategy, we are going nowhere. There was nothing wrong with the outgoing chairman, but without a plan, what could he have done? That’s why I’m asking whoever takes over the chairmanship to listen to me, I have a plan.”Kenyan footballers face growing mental health challenges, experts warnHe further criticised superficial gestures such as hosting tournaments or making donations, branding them as temporary fixes.“Donating bread, sodas, or even Ksh100,000 or Ksh1 million are just events, not solutions,” he added.Khalwale pledged to invest in the development of young talent across Western Kenya.“I will tap into our rich pool of talent in secondary schools, Kakamega High School, Musingu School, Shianda High School, and others. Using government resources, I’ll support these students, pay their fees, and nurture them to become the backbone of AFC Leopards.”Fans divided over Victor Wanyama’s desire to return to Harambee StarsThe club, once a dominant force in Kenyan football, has endured years without silverware, dogged by internal wrangles and poor performances.This, however, comes on the backdrop of the Sports Registrar urging AFC Leopards to push the elections to 2026, with the club initially planning to head to the polls on Sunday, 29 June.
