Shikanda blames ‘outsiders’ for inciting Leopards go-slow

AFC Leopards chairman Dan Shikanda has apportioned blame on ‘outsiders’ for inciting the club’s players to stage the go-slow which started on Tuesday morning ahead of Friday’s match against Bandari FC in Mombasa.

Players are demanding unpaid wages but Shikanda says shrinking revenues caused by the COVID-19 pandemic have left the club has no money.

“We are in Covid-19 period and everybody is suffering including Gor Mahia, Wazito and even Posta Rangers. I can assure you there is a lot of incitement going on from outsiders. It is very unfortunate to see this happening and putting us in a difficult situation.

“I have arrived at the training base (GEM Cambridge University in Karen Nairobi) to talk to the players but if they do not show up then we shall see what to do,” Shikanda said.

The former Ingwe and Gor player has said that the club has received Sh35m from shirt sponsors which he has paid salaries of around Sh4m per month till December last year with allowances cleared.

He has added that the planned fundraiser over the weekend generated only Sh1.7m which means it was not successful

“Solution is not known now because we don’t have money at the moment. Our sponsor gave us Ksh 35 M which we have paid players their salaries upto 90 percent of December last year and we have cleared all their allowances.

We organized a fundraising which did not go successfully for we only managed to collect Ksh 1.7m which helped us to foot allowances and so we are doing our best”, Shikanda explained.

Ingwe have managed to scoop six wins in nine league matches their best start in as many seasons with an aim of clinching the title this season being their top priority.