Africa-Press – Kenya. AFC Leopards National Executive Committee (NEC) has called on club chairman Dan Shikanda and secretary general Gilbert Andugu to put their differences aside and start working together.
In an interview on Wednesday, a member of NEC who sought anonymity for fear of reprisal, said both leaders have been warned of dire consequences if they failed to iron out their misunderstandings at once.
According to the NEC member, the rift between the two leaders was first discussed during the club’s Annual General Meeting held at Nyayo Stadium on July 25.
The wrangles have pitched tents at the club for some time now following elections held late last year.
“We can’t have the top leadership getting locked up in constant power wrangles. There was a general feeling that the SG was disrespectful to the chairman on the assumption his office wields more power. The NEC members asked him to give Shikanda the respect he deserves,” said the source.
“We gave them a time frame within which to end their squabbles for the sake of the club. We can’t thrive in such a hostile environment.”
With the matter spilling out of control and internal resolution mechanisms almost exhausted, the club sought the intervention of an arbitrator.
“It came to a point where the Sports Registrar, Rose Wasike had to intervene. She told both Shikanda and Andungu to either put their house in order or resign and allow the club to conduct fresh elections,” said the source.
The source attributed the chaos to a former official, who is said to be bent on fanning trouble at the club by creating a wedge between two rival factions.
“The aim was to destabilise the club and create a power vacuum in the hope that the office would be dissolved and a caretaker committee put in place,” the source said.
The office has also been told to address the perennial headache of the team’s unimpressive run in the league for the last two decades. Members are said to be deeply divided on the number of years Belgian gaffer Patrick Aussems should be allowed to stay.
“Most members think that Aussems’ contract should only be extended by one year. But the coach has rejected the proposal, insisting he must be given two years instead.
“This is partly because the club is yet to pay him his sign-on fee and he feels this might be solved within one year,” the source said.
Disgruntled AFC Leopards fans have expressed dismay at Aussems’ silverware drought spanning three seasons now despite the colossal perk he draws at the club.
“Since he arrived in the country, the club has given him royal treatment, even housing him in a Five-Star hotel along Thika Road. He earns approximately Sh800,000 per month yet he had delivered nothing for the four years he has been employed,” the source said.
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