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The Nairobian

ODM leader Sifuna calls for change in club structures ahead of AFC Leopards fund-raiser

Football

By Robin Toskin | Oct 30, 2019

**AFC Leopards fans in their KPL match with Gor Mahia FC at Kasarani Stadium on Sunday, May 19, 2019. Gor won 3-1.** [Jonah Onyango, Standard]

AFC Leopards will hold a fundraising tomorrow at Crowne Plaza, Nairobi from 5:30pm, amid calls for efforts to create a football economy that will make clubs self-sustaining.

ODM Secretary General Edwin Sifuna, who will be among an array of leaders expected at the funds-drive said time has come to address all problems bedeviling not only community clubs but also institutional clubs.

Leopards, formed in 1964 have been hoping from one financial crisis to another with no end in sight for its troubles.

“We must start a serious conversation on how to change the fortunes of our football clubs even if it means changing the laws governing registration and funding. Political leaders and corporates should lead the way,” Sifuna said.

“It is tiring to always organise fundraisers yet these clubs should be self-sustaining. We should open up these clubs to investment either by individuals or foreign capital funding,” he said.

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**ODM Secretary General Edwin Sifuna.** [WILBERFORCE OKWIRI, STANDARD]

Leopards chairman Dan Shikanda concurred with Sifuna saying he welcomes ideas that would help turn around the fortunes of the club.

“We are 50 years behind schedule,” Shikanda said.

“I believe the time is ripe for this conversation because, honestly, running a club such as Leopards requirements capital investment. Not even the Sh57million we were getting from SportPesa was not enough because it catered for salaries yet there are daily expenses on training grounds and transportation,” Shikanda said.

Wazito FC founder and director Solomon Alubala opined: “The best way to improve the Equity control for clubs is an amendment to section 2 of the Societies Act, not to include clubs, and instead have them registered as companies under the Companies Act Cap 486 Laws of Kenya.”

He added: “A football club registered as a limited company – limited by shares – gives it more mileage to get finances for its operations. Section 6 of the Companies Act provides for limited companies by shares – limiting the liability of each member by the capital contributed and the individual shareholding.”