Former AFC Leopards club chairman Dan Shikanda has hit back at current chair Bonface Ambani, telling him to ‘stop crying on Facebook’ and instead focus on solving the club’s challenges.
Shikanda, who led AFC Leopards for two full terms before handing over to Ambani following the June 2025 elections, issued the response after Ambani’s emotional Facebook post that accused the previous administration of mismanagement, corruption and neglect.
In his statement, Ambani had lamented that the club had been “chewed silently” by individuals who benefited from deals and misused funds at the expense of the team’s growth.
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Ambani calls out previous AFC Leopards management
“While they were quietly taking bites out of this club, because you had tamed them, you remained silent,” Ambani had said earlier.
“When they called it ‘Ing’ombe ya Senje’, you never asked questions, because they belonged to a plate you shared. When they skimmed players’ allowances, salaries, and sign-on fees, you stayed quiet.”
He went on to accuse former officials of signing dubious deals, failing to pay players, and allowing the club to sink into debts and legal battles that his current team is now trying to fix.
“Only four months in office, we have been able to sort out most of those messes and bring sanity back to this club,” Ambani stated.
“From inheriting negative accounts to trying to stabilize a club of AFC Leopards’ magnitude, you think it’s easy? Don’t think I will be intimidated.”
However, Dr. Shikanda, who is currently the FKF Nairobi Region NEC member, did not take the accusations lightly.
In a strongly worded statement, he dismissed Ambani’s claims as “online theatrics,” insisting that leadership should be measured by action and not social media rants.
“Actually, leadership isn’t about crying the loudest on Facebook; it’s about fixing problems and letting results speak,” Shikanda said.
“If salaries were ‘chewed,’ kindly name one player whose pay was eaten, dates, amounts, and by who. Facts over fiction any day.”
The former chairman also defended his tenure, noting that his administration inherited several court cases but managed to settle many of them without unnecessary drama.
“Court cases? Not new. When we took over, we inherited several including the Sejere case from as far back as 2013–2014. We didn’t cry online; we handled and quietly closed over 15 cases professionally. You’re in office now—lead, don’t lament.”
He also reminded Ambani that the official handover process had been conducted transparently.
“Handover? You attended it. Financials, debts, and pending issues were all tabled. So this ‘new discovery’ you keep dramatizing online is pure theatre.”
In a statement laced with sarcasm, Shikanda pointed out that he personally played a role in hiring Ambani’s brother as an assistant coach during his tenure, urging the current chairman to start his call for transparency at home.
“While you speak of ‘chewing,’ let’s be honest, I personally recommended and hired your own brother as an assistant coach. How much exactly was ‘chewed’ there? Transparency should begin at home.”
Shikanda concluded his response with a word of advice, reminding Ambani that the AFC Leopards’ chairmanship is a heavy seat that demands composure and humility.
“Lastly, a little humility goes a long way. Respect everyone who has sat on that chair before you because it’s a seat of sacrifice, not comfort.
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But don’t worry, you’re there now… you’ll soon feel the weight of it yourself. Much more I will leave unsaid, just bring your leadership A-game and steer the ship. That is what matters now.”
As AFC Leopards prepare to face KCB FC this weekend, the club chairman will be hoping Ingwe registers its first win of the season to ease the pressure from the fans who have been demanding results as the club has been winless since the start of the new season