All is Set for AFC Leopards Gala Award as Team Travels to Uganda
By Fred Maingi
The stage is all set for the eagerly awaited AFC Leopards Gala Award ceremony set for August 21st. AFC Leopards Chairman Dan Shikanda and U45 Unit Branch have expressed their excitement ahead of the event that could mark the turning point ahead of the new season.
The team which is camping for pre-season in Mumias will travel to Uganda on Thursday for a friendly match against local Champions Express FC at the Wankulukuku stadium in Kampala.
The Gala award event, organized by the U45 Unit Branch, will recognize the outstanding contributions of players, fans, and branches that defined a rollercoaster 2023/24 season .
During a press conference held on Tuesday morning at a Nairobi Hotel, and attended by AFC Leopards patron Alex Muteshi and Chairman Dan Shikanda, the U45 Unit branch members promised to stand with the team. The U45 branch members included Praxides Mushira, Tuta M’irimba(Treasurer), Cicilia Wangare, and Josephat Masinza who is the Organizing Secretary. In his speech, Shikanda said the team is fully prepared for the new season and called upon club fans to rally behind the team.
“We all know the challenges we faced during the early stages of the season, but the fans never gave up and the players responded. It’s only fair that we organize this event to celebrate everyone who makes this club unique,’’ he added.
The gala represents a milestone moment in the club’s history, providing a platform to honor the hard work and dedication of players and the passion of fans who together work to steer the club forward.
The awards ceremony will feature five distinct categories, each designed to acknowledge the diverse contributions within the club. They include Player of the Season, best Player of the Season, Fans’ Player of the Season, Fan of the Year and Branch of the Year. T U45 Unit has expressed exceptional commitment to supporting the club during the Gala Award.
Alex Muteshi, the club’s Patron, emphasized the event’s broader significance, stating: “This gala is more than a celebration of our club’s rich legacy and the incredible efforts of those who make AFC Leopards what it is. “I am especially pleased to see a category for rewarding our fans. Every club can play football, but not every fan can play Isikuti the Leopards way.”
Olympia Musonye, Chairperson of the U45 Branch, the key organizers, added: “Organizing this gala is our way of giving back to the club and celebrating the hard work of our players, fans, and branches. We hugely welcome support from corporates and individuals from across the divide and hope this is the beginning of bigger things for the club and Kenyan football as a whole.”
Among the players who will be contesting for the top honours include the talented Kayci Odhiambo, Vincent Mahiga, evergreen winger Clifton Miheso and forward Victor Omune.
The Branch of the Year category has attracted dozens of entries representing the national face of the club. They include Baba Dogo, Bungoma, Githurai, Kajaido, Kawangware,and Toronto-Canada. Other branches include Facebook Branch, Kitengela, and Kayole among others.
The awards gala night will be held just two days before Ingwe kick off their 2024-25 Kenyan Premier League season away to promoted side Mathare United on August 25.
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