Harambee Stars defender David ‘Cheche’ Ochieng has joined AFC Leopards.
Ochieng signed a short-term contract with the 13-time Kenyan champions on the first day of the mid-season transfer window that swung open on Monday.
Ochieng is looking for match fitness in order to earn a place in the Harambee Stars’ Africa Cup of Nations Squad after he was released by Swedish side, Brommapojkarna
AFC Leopards confirmed the acquisition of the 26-year-old defender who has also featured in the American Major League Soccer with New York Cosmos FC and Al Tawoon of Saudi Arabia.
“AFC Leopards is delighted to announce the signing of Kenyan international David ‘Cheche’ Ochieng on a short term contract,” Ingwe confirmed the deal in a statement.
Ochieng has also featured for Nairobi Stima and Tusker in the Kenyan Premier League, before moving to Saudi Arabia in 2013.
His acquisition will be a boost for Casa Mbungo’s side who won their second straight match after six defeats in a row, following a 2-1 victory over Tusker on Sunday.
‘Cheche’ made his senior international debut for Kenya in 2012 where he went on to appear in FIFA World Cup qualifying matches for Harambee Stars.
Gor Mahia handed AFC Leopards a fourth straight defeat this season following a 2-0 win Saturday.
Kenneth Muguna’s goal, his first for K’Ogalo this season, and Francis Kahata’s well-taken free-kick handed Hassan Oktay his first Mashemeji Derby victory as the Kenyan champions moved second on the log, just three points adrift of leaders Mathare United.
Gor Mahia are now joint second with Bandari on 22 points.
The odds were against AFC Leopards who had lost three games in a row heading into the 85th Mashemeji Derby that was played at the Kasarani Stadium for the 15th time.
Ingwe picked a second deafeat in a row for newly appointed tactician Casa Mbungo, who failed his first Kenyan Premier League test against bottom-placed Mount Kenya United on Wednesday.
Muguna, who started his second stint at K’Ogalo on a wrong footing, marked his name on the score sheet in the 15th minute to hand Gor Mahia a deserved lead.
Ingwe, who are languishing just a place above the relegation zone in the 18-team league blew away the few chances they managed to create before being punished by the highly skilled Kahata who had been a thorn in Leopards’ flesh the whole afternoon.
Kahata hit a wonderful free kick that evaded everyone, including a poorly positioned Eric Ndayishimiye in Ingwe goal to double Gor’s advantage in the 64th minute as the champions raced to a record 28 win over Ingwe in the Mashemeji Derby.
K’Ogalo then toyed with hapless Leopards who were lucky to have escaped further humiliation after Jacques Tuyisenge’s goal was ruled offside even though TV replays showed that the Rwandan was onside by the time the ball was played by the lively Kahata.
While some might argue that Rwandan tactician Mbungo is barely one week in the domestic league, the latest setback leaves his charges at a precarious state as the sleeping giants stare at relegation.
Gor Mahia starting XI: Boniface Oluoch, Philemon Otieno, Shafik Batambuze, Joash Onyango, Haron Shakava, Ernest Wendo, Boniface Omondi, Kenneth Muguna, Francis Kahata, Nicholas Kipkirui, Jacques Tuyisenge.
AFC Leopards starting XI: Ndayishimiye Eric, Isaac Kipyegon, Dennis Sikhayi, Robinson Kamura, Salim Abdallah, Christopher Oruchum, Saad Musa, Whyvonne Isuzza, Marcel Kaheza, Odeny Jeffery, Wayi Yeka.
Former AFC Leopards striker Boniface Ambani has been appointed the club’s assistant coach.
Ambani, who will serve on interim basis, is expected to help steer that team back to winning ways as Ingwe’s new coach Casa Mbungo still familiarizes himself with the Kenyan Premier League.
Mbungo, who replaced Marko Vasiljevic, got a rude welcome in the Kenyan top fight after bottom-placed side Mount Kenya United beat Ingwe 2-1 on Wednesday .
The former Harambee Stars striker was picked from the Leopards’ junior team where he served as the head coach.
Meanwhile, Ingwe walls continue to crack with the clubs deputy secretary-general Stazo Omung’ala being the latest to thrown in the towel.
Omung’ala resigned but did not give any reason, although it is understood that the entire management team is divided on how to bring back the glory days.
“Please accept this letter, my formal notice that effective immediately I’m resigning from my position of Deputy Secretary-General on the National Executive Committee of AFC Leopards Sports Club.
“I wish to thank members of this club for having given me the opportunity to serve. Likewise Many thanks to the players, NEC colleagues and the fans who’ve supported our work for the past close to three years.
“I urge all the club supporters to stick with the team even as we aim to turn around our fortunes. AFC Leopards is ours forever!” he said in his resignation letter addressed to the club chairman Dan Mule.
Leopards organizing secretary Timothy Lilumbi is also serving an indefinite suspension after he was accused of inciting violence in a KPL match.
The former champions will have a tricky fixture this weekend when they face off with arch-rivals Gor Mahia in the Mashemeji Derby.
Bottom-placed Mount Kenya United handed a hapless AFC Leopards a fifth defeat of the season following a 2-1 win in the Kenyan Premier League match on Wednesday.
This is the second time in a row that Mount Kenya surprised everyone, not least themselves, having beaten league leaders Mathare United by a similar margin last weekend.
Ingwe fans will have to face the fact that the team’s problem doesn’t rest on the coaching staff but somewhere else.
Having brought on board Rwandan tactician Casa Mbungo to replace Marko Vasiljevic, the tactician failed to register a positive result in his first game in charge.
Valijevic threw in the towel after his side suffered back to back defeats against Zoo Kericho and Bandari FC.
The defeat by the dockers was the last straw as the Serbian watched helpless as his side soaked in goals in Mbaraki Stadium in Mombasa.
And in came Mbungo, the 27th coach to handle Ingwe in the last 10 years.
The former Rwandan Police coach might have received a rude welcome in KPL from Mount Kenya Wednesday but an even bigger test – Mashemeji Derby – awaits him when he faces Ingwe’s arch rivals, Gor Mahia, this coming weekend.
Meanwhile, K’Ogalo moved to third on the log with a victory against Vihiga United, thanks to a lone goal by Nicholas Kipkirui.
The former Zoo Kericho striker scored his second goal in two matches, having also found the back of the net in Gor’s Caf Confederation 4-2 victory against Zamalek on Sunday.
Elsewhere, Western Stima moved a place behind Gor Mahia after forcing a slim 1-0 win against Zoo in Kisumu.
New AFC Leopards tactician Casa Mbungo has told players to wake up and restore the club’s image.
The Rwandan coach read the riot act after he was unveiled as he joins the bulging number of coaches to have handled the club.
With no Kenyan Premier League title in over 20 years, Mbungo, who became the 27th tactician to be associated with Ingwe in the last 10 years, told his players to restore the battered image of the club with decent performances.
Leopards’ last KPL title came in 1999 and the former AS Kigali and Police coach, who signed a one and a half year deal after Marko Vasiljevic stepped down, now wants the sleeping giants to wake up.
“AFC Leopards is still the biggest team in Kenya. We have to work hard and restore these bragging rights,” he said during the official unveiling on Wednesday.
Serbian Vasiljevic threw in the towel just 10 games into the season following a series of dismal performances with only two wins to show from.
“We have to bring our confidence back, work hard and win games,” Mbungo added.
Mbungo’s dream of turning around the dwindling fortunes for the 13-time Kenyan champions will be put to test when Ingwe takes on Mount Kenya United in a midweek clash on Wednesday evening.
After this, the Rwandan will have a mountain to climb when he takes on record champions and league defending champions Gor Mahia in the Mashemeji Derby at the weekend.
Though a proven winner with two Peace Cup titles from Rwanda, the newest coach in the KPL will have to draw strength from the fact that he knows at least two of Gor Mahia players, Jacques Tuyisenge and Francis Mustapha, whom who he worked with back in Rwanda.