AFC should give politicians a wide berth during this election period

AFC Leopards have in the past acted either as a stepping stone for politicians to elective posts during elections or as 're-invention' machines for politically 'dead' careers.

The club's constitution grants politicians honorary membership as trustees and patrons of the club.

Some fans, who are part of the 'mbekho' (give me/handouts) brigade, carry politicians shoulder-high into AFC's matches and compose either praise songs or dirges to show approval or disapproval of these politicians instead of cheering the team.

Politicians have time and again used and dumped AFC in our hour of need - for example in 2012 when AFC was acquiring a team bus and 2015 when AFC lost its sponsorship.

Despite being invited for the event, none of the MPs showed up, not even those who lead dance parades in AFC matches.

It is also during this fundraiser that a prominent politician issued a cheque called 'do not bank until I tell you'.

It has been years, and we are still waiting for him to tell us when to bank the cheque!

Surprisingly, the same politician was elected to the club's executive committee in 2013 after a failed stint in the General Election.

In the 2015 fundraiser, which was organised to offset the club's bills, only a handful of these politicians attended. Their contributions were dwarfed by those from Deputy President William Ruto's side.

However, their voices were loud when they were seeking to impose an unconstitutional caretaker committee on the club after its president resigned.

Members of the executive committee, who vie for elective posts, either create a lacuna in the team or cause chaos in its management. They always have vested interests in the club.

It is about time these actions are cured by a good dose of Vitamin 'N' aka 'NO'! AFC should say no to being used for political purposes, yet when the club needs these politicians, they hide like moles in their underground pits.

It is time the club considered a constitutional amendment to reserve honorary membership for persons who bring other productive angles other than just being politicians.

Secondly, it should be mandatory for an executive committee member to resign from the club leadership if they intend to seek an elective post in the country's elections.

Politicians should pay gate charges for their huge entourages.

Stop denying the club vital revenue!