On the historic day, 12th March 1964, The East African Standard Newspaper carried a story of amulgation of several Nairobi city based football clubs to birth a new club… The Abaluhya United Football Club. Through the years, across some 12 Kenya Premier League Campaigns where they emerged champions; 10 shield carries as winners of the Football Kenya Federation cup; and 5 regional hunts in which they became victors of the Cecafa club tournament… coaches, players and fans have kissed on the badge on their shirts in a show of love. Over these years, the crest on the badge has changed… but the love has only become deeper and now is… forever. In this episode on our series on the evolution of AFC Leopards club crest, we meet the first, or, the original ingwe crest.
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Approximate era - The 1960s also known as 'The good beginnings era'
The first AFC Leopards crest is memorable not just as a piece of history, but also for its symbolic message.
The crest features a man kicking a football which to us is an acknowledgement of the power of football to bring people together; a male lion, kutalang’i, symbolizing majesty; and a traditional stool, a symbol of authority, wisdom and justice.
Further, the crest’s motto reads ‘Obulala na amani’ which translates to ‘harmony and peace’
Reading the design and symbolisim of the original AFC Leopards crest
Without doubt, the first AFC Leopards crest is the most ‘in your face’ of them all. With its use of spear heads in its design, it is unapologetic in conveying the aspirations of the home community of AFC Leopards – The Abaluhyia and more importantly, its urban elite and by extension the city of Nairobi as the Luhya remain an important constituency in the politics of Kenya’s capital.
The use of the handles of these spears as lines that intersect to yield three triangular spaces that are occupied with symbols – lion, African traditional stool and a football player kicking a ball – speaks in volumes of the desire of a collective future for the Abaluhyia people envisioned by the founding fathers of AFC Leopards.
It is quite telling that the design of the original AFC Leopards crest echoes Kenya’s court of arms and national flag, both of which have lions and spears. This is not only clever design but telling of the times.
Remember that AFC Leopards was formed from the coming together of several Nairobi based Luhya football clubs. The official birthday of AFC Leopards is listed on its official website as 12th March 1964. The Republic of Kenya was formally established on December 12, 1964.
At that time of nation building, AFC Leopards was to the Luhya what Barcelona FC is to the Basque perhaps even Real Madrid to the City of Madrid. Its original crest in its design, symbolism and the words ‘obulala na amani’ only served to exemplified this higher calling; and this makes it memorable.