AFC Leopards planning to re-sign Clyde Senaji

Kenyan defender Clyde Senaji Navade’s career at FCB Nyasa Big Bullets appears to be coming to an end following a falling out with head coach Peter Mponda.

The former captain has not trained or played for the club since May 30, when the team suffered a 1-0 defeat to local rivals Mighty Wanderers FC in a heated Blantyre derby. Senaji was substituted after just 20 minutes and reportedly became furious with his coach, subsequently requesting a two-week leave of absence, which the club granted.

However, Senaji has yet to return and has no intention of completing the remaining six months on his contract, which he signed in 2024. He has submitted a letter to the club requesting contract termination, but Bullets have insisted he follow proper procedures, including buying out his contract if he wishes to leave without compensation.

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Bullets Chief Executive Officer Albert Chigoga told MBC Sports last month that while the club won’t prevent Senaji’s departure, he must follow the contractual procedures.

“As a club, we can’t keep a player who is not happy. We will keep players who want to play for the club. We are waiting for him to return because he asked for leave and is not reporting for work. We will allow him to leave if he follows proper procedures,” Chigoga said.

Coach Questions Player’s Importance

The former AFC Leopards FC defender is reportedly upset with Mponda, who publicly questioned his importance to the team.

“There has been a lot of noise on social media, but here is the truth: while I was away with the national team, I was told that he had flu. He recovered but didn’t return to training, saying he needed to speak to me. When we met, he said he had gone to the office to request leave. We are in the middle of the season—why would a player request to leave without an emergency?” Mponda explained.

The former Silver Strikers coach further questioned Senaji’s contributions to the team.

“Honestly, last season he played fewer than 12 games. Is he a key player? I don’t think so. I even made him captain this season, but due to issues, we gave the armband to Lloyd Aaron. As an international player, you need to offer more than local players. We are still waiting for him to return so we can discuss things properly.”

Potential Return to Kenya

Meanwhile, Kenyan journalist Kevin Teya reports that the central defender is being linked with a potential return to Kenyan Premier League side AFC Leopards FC, a club he represented in 2018 before joining Tucker FC.

The 29-year-old defender joined Bullets in 2023 on a free transfer under former coach Kalisto Pasuwa. During his time with the club, he helped the team secure multiple trophies, including the league title, two Airtel Top 8 cups, the FDH Bank Cup, and the Castel Challenge Cup.