Western Kenya is bracing for a revamp of football in the region that is historically the home of football in East and Central Africa, according to AFC Leopards patron Alexander Muteshi. And behind the scenes, a revolution is taking place. AFC Leopards is on the cusp reasserting its supremacy.

Disappointed that the club did not lay hands on the first Kenya Premier League trophy in 27 years, Mr Muteshi says things can only get better for the ‘Aristocrats’ (a tag ascribed by fans) whose brand of football was hailed by both friend and foe as the most attractive and alluring in the 18-team league that was won by arch-rivals Gor Mahia – albeit controversially.

Speaking to Tell Media, Muteshi vowed to get rid of the non-performing “players who fail to put in a good shift when important matches are at stake.” The patron termed the loss to Mathare United as the low point in AFC Leopards’ failure to stamp their authority on the 2025-26 league season.

It is said the club is preparing to to delist 10 players from the senior team, who will be replaced with a similar nymber.

“We are now going back to the roots. The best football is played in western Kenya, which is why nearly three quarters of current Kenya Premier League (KPL) players began their careers in western Kenya – Kakamega, Bungoma, Vihiga and Busia counties. This is the home of football,” Muteshi promises.

Other than the capital Nairobi, western Kenya is credited with producing the highest number of talented plyers who play for KPL teams. Even though, more than half of the players featuring for football teams in Nairobi trace their roots to western – a situation Muteshi says should be motivation enough to entrench professionalism in the sport.

During the season, AFC Leopards was the only club that paid salaries and allowances on time. High gate collections and lucrative sponsorships have made the club arguably the richest in the league. Things can only get better the current office clear longstanding debts that had affected quality player recruitment. The office also had incentives for best performers and insurance cover that ensured consistency in the team.

Buoyed by 18,000 supporters who attended their match against Gor Mahia, Muteshi says there is no question about AFC Leopards Sports Club being the most loved football club in Kenya today.

“Our matches attract the highest number of football lovers. AFC is the most loved club in Kenya. Our major undoing is endemic match-fixing. How do you explain a situation where one team is awarded 23 penalties – 17 of them by one referee? It is obvious that players from one team that is notorious for match-fixing cannot survive in Europe. Their contracts are predictably terminated after just three months. In some cases some players from the team were shipped back home – in a return to sender scenario – without kicking a ball. The work ethic at AFC Leopards and by extension western Kenya helps our players excel in European leagues,” Muteshi gloats.

He revealed that AFC Leopards is in the market for quality players as it prepares to dominate East and Central Africa football. The patron noted: “Historically, we are most recognisable club in the region because of our brand of football (tiki tika) and our most adoring fans. Our Isikuti dance is the most recognisable in Africa as it is the most enduring feature of Kenya football since the last century. No one is equal to us. Isikuti gives football the energy it requires. Forget the jokers who copy everything we do. Isikuti is a cultural symbol of joy and puritanism.”

While congratulating the team for finishing a strong second in the just concluded 2025/2026 league, club he criticised poor officiating witnessed throughout the campaign and urged the federation to take action against incompetent match officials ahead of the new season.

He hailed AFC Leopards SC players, the technical bench, passionate fans, members, supporters and the NEC for their commendable work that contributed to the team finishing second on 64 against Gor Mahia’s 69.

“Finishing second doesn’t guarantee us anything big but we are better off than the past few seasons. Over the past few seasons, we have been finishing somewhere between fifth and seventh,” said the former National Intelligence Service (NIS) chief and former Director General of Immigration who has supported the club for the past seven years.

“I am confident that the club through the professional leadership of Boniface Ambani will clinch the league title next season after giving the eventual winners Gor Mahia a run for their money,” he added.

“We could have won it had it not been a few poor results we posted in matches we expected to win easily.”

Leopards only needed victory in their last two fixtures against APS Bomet and Bidco United to be declared champions after Gor Mahia drew 0-0 with Mara Sugar before losing 1-0 to Nairobi United. He, however, questioned the discipline and loyalty of certain players who he says may have given away the matches deliberately to hand rivals the advantage.

He said that, by settling debts owed to players, the team looks more stable heading into next season. He further said there is clarity on where the technical bench needs reinforcement ahead of the new season to build a competitive squad capable of challenging for major honours in future.

For the just ended season AFC Leopards remained in the title race despite having a relatively young squad compared to teams like Gor Mahia, Kenya Police, Tusker and Nairobi United. Ingwe operated with lean bench depth, hence the reasons they ultimately fell short in the title race.

Ingwe lost or drew matches they were expected to win relative ease; some of these poor results coming immediately after international breaks, raising concerns about player discipline and professionalism during such periods, especially considering many were not on official assignments.

During the final season fixture at Ulinzi Complex on May 31, 2026, a section of fans voiced the need for the management to enforce Spartan discipline and make the players understand that football is a profession that is predetermined by lifestyle and discipline as they directly affect output.

At times during the season, the squad looked physically and mentally exhausted due to limited options. Dejection was evident too.

While they created good attacking movements, the squad often failed to attack efficiently and to kill matches early; largely attributed to the absence of established and consistent strikers within the squad.

The match against Gor Mahia clearly showed how pressure affected the players psychologically. Similarly, Kenya Police demonstrated composure, maturity and experience against Leopards.

Fans urged the technical bench to retain the core team by extending contracts of the starting eleven to avoid rebuilding from scratch once again.

They appealed head coach Fred Ambani and his technical bench to sign a few high-quality players with winning mentality and experience, including two proven strikers, a creative and versatile midfielder a dominant centre-back capable of operating on both sides and a versatile impact player who can influence games from the bench.

“We need more pace off the bench, better midfield organisation and control options and a reliable backup striker capable of scoring consistently. Reinforcements should be strategic and focused on adding quality rather than numbers. We have had enough of benchwarmers,” Nashon Khayati, a fan, says.

“Talent alone is not enough to win titles. To succeed, we need players who are focused, consistent and professional both on and off the pitch,” Greg Mboyi of AFC Leopards SC Khayega Branch in Kakamega County, observes.

Mboyi wants the technical bench and management to clear the team of “unpatriotic” players. He argues that with better foundation, smart decisions, better squad depth, stronger mentality and improved professionalism, Ingwe will dominate football in Kenya and beyond.

• A Tell Media report / By John Ashihundu