Former Sofapaka striker Enock Agwanda has revealed how excessive transfer fee demands by Sofapaka FC owner Elly Kalekwa cost him potential moves to Zesco United in Zambia and Tanzanian giants Yanga SC.
Speaking to The Exit Podcast about his career journey, Agwanda opened up about the missed opportunities and the role played by the Kalekwa in derailing his transfer ambitions.
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While playing for Sofapaka, Agwanda was on the verge of moving to Zambia, with Zesco United showing strong interest in securing his services. The club presented two options, hoping to sign the powerful striker. However, negotiations fell through after Sofapaka president Kalekwa set an asking price that Zesco deemed too high.
Instead, they turned their attention to Club legend Jesse Were, who was then at Tusker and nearing the end of his contract, making him a more affordable option.
“I had traveled all the way from home to Nairobi, expecting to finalize the move, only to find out that Kalekwa’s high asking price had chased them away. He demanded too much money,” Agwanda recalled.
A similar fate befell Agwanda the following season when Tanzanian powerhouse Yanga SC came calling. At the time, Agwanda was the second-highest scorer in the Kenyan league behind Gor Mahia legend Dan Sserunkuma who had joined Yanga’s rivals Simba, attracting significant interest from the Tanzanian giants.
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Yanga tabled a Ksh 5 million offer, but Kalekwa demanded Ksh 15 million, refusing to go below Ksh 10 million. The deal had been arranged by former Kenyan international Boniface Ambani, who was instrumental in preparing Agwanda for the potential move.
“Ambani had been training me ahead of the move and even paid for my gym sessions. But despite all the arrangements, Kalekwa refused to budge on his price demands,” he stated.
What made the situation more frustrating for former Shabana striker was that Sofapaka had been struggling to pay players on time. He revealed that the club had gone three months without paying salaries, yet Kalekwa remained firm on his transfer fee demands, “When he received the money from selling Fiston, he only paid us half, just enough to keep us tied to the club,” Agwanda revealed.
Contrary to speculation that Ambani played a role in the failed Yanga move , Agwanda clarified that it was Kalekwa’s excessive demands that blocked his move abroad, “It was Kalekwa, not Ambani, who made the transfer impossible for me,” he asserted.
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