How shrewd contract negotiation added Ksh100,000 to Makwata's salary at AFC Leopards
Reading Time: 2min | Wed. 04.09.24. | 19:45
Before Makwata ditched Leopards for Zesco United in February 2020, he had found the back of the net 13 times
AFC Leopards chairman Dan Shikanda has revealed how a performance-based clause in John Mark Makwata’s contract cost the club hundreds of thousands.
Leopards acquired Makwata’s signature late in 2019 from Zambian side Buldcon FC, a move that marked his return to the Kenyan top tier after two seasons in professional football.
Shikanda disclosed that the club won the striker’s signature after paying Ksh2 million shillings in sign-on fee and a monthly salary of Ksh200,000.
Makwata repaid the investment Ingwe made in him as he banged goals for fun in the league, earning interest from foreign clubs.
His form was to come with its financial burden, for Ingwe, who lacked a sponsor back then, as the club had to boost his salary by an extra Kshs100,000 thanks to a clause in his contract that provided for the increment if he hit double digits in the first leg.
Before Makwata ditched Leopards for Zesco United in February 2020, he had found the back of the net 13 times.
“I offered him a sign-on fee of Ksh2 million and a salary of Ksh200,000. There’s something that he told me... that if he failed to score at least 10 goals in the first leg, then I should reduce his salary to Ksh 100,000, but if he scored 10 goals, then his pay should increase to Ksh 300,000.
Of course, he scored more than 10 goals, and we had to increase the salary to Ksh 300,000,” he told Capital Sports.
Makwata returned to the Den for a second stint in January 2022, albeit on loan from Kenya Police FC.
He returned to Police in June before signing for Botswana’s Gaborone United.
The former Ulinzi Stars man would return to the Kenyan top flight in February this year when he signed for Kariobangi Sharks.
He would finish as the joint second-best scorer in the league thanks to the 16 goals he scored.
Gor Mahia’s Benson Omala was the leading scorer with 19 goals.
