Plans afoot to turn AFC into limited company

By Robin Toskin

Plans are underway to stage the first ever all inclusive AFC Leopards Stakeholders Convention with a view to charting a sustainable future for the 13-time Kenyan Premier League champions.

Almost 20 years after attempts to turn the club into a dominant force from the current society-model to a limited company failed, efforts are underway to actualise the dream.

A think-tank dubbed Foreal (Forum of Restructuring AFC Leopards) plans to have the convention on November 17 at the Bomas of Kenya.

According to Foreal, invitations will be extended to registered members through branches, fans, the Executive Committee, former officials, the playing/technical units and the legends. Others to be invited will be the federation, the Government, media, elders and experts to make a case on the importance of making a turnaround on the structure of the club.

In a statement signed by 20 members of the think-tank championing for the convention, the highlight of the one-day forum will be “presentation of the Vision 2020 Blueprint, which attempts to chart a roadmap towards transforming the structure of the club from the current wrangle prone society into wrangle proof Holding Limited Company by way of shareholding”.

The statement adds: “The blueprint proposes the incorporation of two constituent legal entities thus a Cooperative Sacco Limited Company and a Supporters Trust for the registered members and six million supporters respectively to pool together their resources through a private placement.”

At the turn of 90s, there had been attempts to turn the club into a limited company under the leadership of now Webuye MP Alfred Sambu and later Peter Onalo. But the plans came a cropper. The new generation of Leopards faithful believe it can be actualised through consultation beginning with the planned convention.

If adopted with or without amendments, the two entities will constitute the corporate shareholding of the holding company to own the club.

Should it be adopted, the conveners hope to set the reforms rolling with a Special General Meeting preferably in December to repeal the current constitution to pave way for the new structure.