The Long Wait is Over: AFC Leopards Return to the Summit After 1,676 Days

NAIROBI, Kenya — On Tuesday, December 23, 2025, a Samuel Semo goal against Bidco United did something that felt like a glitch in the 'aviator' simulation: it put AFC Leopards at the top of the Kenyan Premier League. To understand the gravity of this, one must realize that being top of the table for Ingwe has recently been like a sighting of a white rhino—legendary, whispered about in village elders’ circles, but rarely captured on film. While they briefly flirted with the summit in August 2024 after walloping Mathare United, you have to go back to May 22, 2021, to find the last time they were "officially" the bosses deep into a season.

That was 1,676 days ago. In May 2021, the world was a strange, masked place where "social distancing" was a civic duty rather than just what defenders do when a striker has bad breath. Elvis Rupia was the hero then, scoring against—who else?—Mathare United. It seems the "Slum Boys" are the cosmic doormat Leopards must wipe their feet on before entering the VIP lounge of the KPL. Back then, we were still arguing about vaccines and whether working from home in pajamas was a sustainable economic model. Today, we are in 2025, and while the world has changed, the Leopards’ appetite for drama has remained the only constant.

But let’s address the elephant—or rather, the leopard—in the room. The last time this club actually hoisted the league trophy was in 1998. To put that in perspective, Daniel arap Moi was the President of Kenya. Since that golden afternoon, Kenya has had three more presidents, a new constitution, and a complete overhaul of the digital era. In 1998, Google was a newborn baby in a garage, and if you wanted to "chat" with someone, you had to physically stand next to them and use your vocal cords. We have seen leaders rise, serve their terms, and some have even transitioned to the great dugout in the sky, yet the Leopards’ trophy cabinet for the league title has remained as dusty as a forgotten library book.  

Current coach Fred Ambani, who was actually a striker in that legendary '98 squad, seems to have brought some of that ancient magic back with him. He has built a defense so stingy conceding only nine goals in 13 matches. By finally beating Bidco United this week, they didn't just move three points clear; they moved away from the "almost-men" narrative that has haunted them like a persistent ghost.  

It's Whether this Christmas lead is a genuine resurgence or just a festive hallucination remains to be seen. But for now, the Den is loud. The fans are checking the calendar, realizing that the gap between their last title and today is long enough for a child to be born, go through primary school, high school, and start wondering why their father is crying over a football match. If Ambani can lead them to the promised land, he won't just be a coach; he’ll be a time traveler who finally brought 1998 into the modern age.