Ruto’s Sh35 Million boost ignites AFC Leopards’ comeback ambitions

President William Ruto has pledged government support for AFC Leopards as the football giants embark on a rebuilding drive to restore their competitiveness ahead of the 2025/26 season.

The Head of State hosted AFC Leopards officials, players and stakeholders at State House on Wednesday, where the club presented a four-point revival plan focused on securing new sponsors, strengthening the squad and improving training facilities.

Ruto backed the club’s revival efforts with a Sh10 million financial boost, with KSh5 million set aside as a reward for players and another Sh5 million allocated to support new signings. The Head of State also committed a further Sh25 million to AFC Leopards as the struggling giants seek financial relief and a fresh start. 

The President described AFC Leopards as one of Kenya’s most historic football institutions, praising the club’s contribution to the growth of the sport over more than six decades.

“Few clubs seriously embody the history, spirit and resilience of Kenyan football like AFC Leopards,” Ruto said.

Founded in 1964, AFC Leopards have won 12 league titles, 10 domestic cup trophies and five CECAFA crowns, achievements built through generations of talented players who inspired millions of Kenyans.

Ruto said sports must move beyond entertainment and become a key pillar of Kenya’s economic transformation agenda.

“Sports is one of Kenya’s greatest economic opportunities. For too long, we treated it as entertainment. We cheered, we celebrated, we went home,” he said.

“Countries that treat sports as recreation produce athletes. But countries that treat sports as an industry create jobs, wealth and global influence. Kenya has chosen the second path.”

The President said government engagement with sports teams and athletes was part of a deliberate strategy to empower young people and unlock opportunities in the sector.

“There is no better investment than the future of the young people of our nation. These engagements are neither ceremonial nor incidental. They are a serious part of government work,” he said.

Ruto said Kenya’s preparations to host the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations reflected the country’s ambition to become a major destination for global sporting events.

“It is the reason why we are hosting AFCON, and it is the reason why we are looking into a future where Kenya can be the place where global sports can be hosted,” he said.

The President said football and other sporting disciplines would play a key role in creating employment, promoting unity and empowering the youth.

“We no longer see sports merely as recreation. We see it as an employer, as an enterprise, a platform for youth empowerment, a driver of national unity and a serious pillar of the economic transformation agenda,” he said.

AFC Leopards presented four key areas where they require assistance as they seek to rebuild the club’s fortunes.

The club requested financial support to recruit quality players, an additional sponsor to strengthen its revenue base, assistance in upgrading the Kenya School for the Deaf training facility, and intervention over licensing challenges affecting its transport SACCO.

Cabinet Secretary for Cooperatives and MSMEs Wycliffe Oparanya, who helped arrange the meeting, said AFC Leopards needed urgent support to assemble a competitive squad. “First of all, this is the time for signing in new players,” Oparanya said.

He added that the club needed an extra sponsor because current resources were not enough to cater for the men’s team, women’s side and the youth programmes. “They requested that they need a sponsor, an extra sponsor,” he said.

AFC Leopards captain Casey Odiambo expressed gratitude for the State House invitation, describing it as a major boost for the club’s ambitions.

The skipper admitted that the team had endured a difficult campaign but promised a stronger performance in the new season.

“We have not had a good season, but I promise you, as the captain, next season we will come here with a trophy,” Odiambo said.

Secretary General Isaac Mulindi told the President that AFC Leopards had continued expanding its national presence, with more than 120 branches across the country supporting the club and identifying emerging talent. “We have over 120 branches in the entire country,” Mulindi said.

He added that the club had established a transport SACCO as part of efforts to create sustainable income streams, while calling for increased government investment in sports. “We want a government that votes for sports,” he said.

Sports Cabinet Secretary Salim Mvurya praised AFC Leopards’ contribution to Kenyan football, describing the club as a symbol of greatness, consistency and resilience. “This side has been an epitome of greatness, of success, consistency and resilience in our country,” Mvurya said.

He hailed President Ruto’s involvement in sports development, saying the government had taken a more deliberate approach towards supporting the sector. “You are the first president who has been deliberate on matters of sports,” Mvurya told Ruto.

The CS assured AFC Leopards and other clubs that improved sporting facilities would soon be available as the government continues investing in infrastructure. “In the next few months, there will be availability of training grounds and stadia,” he said.

AFC Leopards, who last lifted the Kenyan league title in 1998, hope the renewed push for investment and partnerships will help them rebuild a competitive squad capable of challenging for domestic honours and restoring their status as one of Kenya’s football powerhouses.