Why Mukangula, Thiong'o were dropped as AFC Leopards captains

AFC Leopards have cracked the whip and stripped off skipper Eugene Mukangula and his assistant Peter Thiong’o of their captaincy duties at the club.

The Football Kenya Federation Premier League side announced on Wednesday that their roles will be delegated to other players.

“We expect all our players, particularly our captains, to stick to the rules and standards we have all set and agreed,” club chairman Dan Shikanda told Nation Sport.

“As the club leadership, we have taken this action because we believe they have failed to be committed at the level that we expect and agreed.”

The two are among the senior players that the club claims led others in boycotting training ahead of their away league match against bottom-placed Vihiga Bullets to due delayed salary payment.

Leopards shockingly lost the match 2-1.

Shikanda said the players had threatened not to travel for the match played on Sunday at Mumias Sports Complex. They later agreed to go to Mumias on Saturday morning to honour the fixture.

“The players staged a go slow yet we had paid them 75 per cent of their May salary, and promised to clear the outstanding arrears on Tuesday, which we have since settled as promised. Our sponsors Betika have been paying the players on time since the league started in June last year."

Mukangula, 26, was appointed the new club captain in April 2022 following the exit of midfielder Marvin Nabwire who crossed over to Police FC.

A section of Ingwe fans, who attended that match in Mumias, confronted the players accusing them of deliberately throwing away the game to Vihiga Bullets, who have already been relegated.