Jaffari Owiti: From learning to take responsibility at Chemelil, overcoming career-threatening ACL Injury to becoming an indispensable at AFC Leopards

Read Pulse Sports Kenya's exclusive interview with AFC Leopards speedster Jaffari Owiti.

AFC Leopards' Jaffari Owiti is a player on a mission to finally find consistency in the forthcoming 2023-2024 season in the quest to help the side return to the heights of challenging for the league title.

The explosive winger has always been a joy to watch when at full flight with the ball at his feet, as he can use his speed to nonchalantly get past opponents, which is an attribute he has that makes him one of the side’s key players.

However, since joining the club in 2018, the club has performed consistently well short of expectations. He joined right after the club had lifted the 2017 FKF Cup under Robert Matano. 

The last three seasons in particular have been very difficult because of unprecedented circumstances that forced the club into being slapped with a transfer ban, hindering from signing players.

Owiti believes that last season was hugely impressive considering the circumstances, but could have done much better with better quality depth.

“The season was okay considering the group we had. I wish we would have finished higher than seventh, but depth cost us big time. I think we tried. 

“If things go well and we manage to sign, the depth will help us big time.”

Last season, Owiti was instrumental in helping Leopards finish third in the Mozzart Bet Cup, being named man of the match in the quarter finals against Bandari and the third place playoff against Ulinzi.

He also started in their famous 2-1 win over sworn rivals Gor Mahia, their first win over Sirkal in seven years. For Owiti, he sees those milestones as positive, but still expresses hurt over a missed  chance to win the Mozzart Bet Cup, which would have won them a CAF Confederation Cup ticket.

“I enjoyed playing in both competitions, but I will never forget our win over Gor Mahia in May. They are a team that were top for years and had been dominating us, but we are the group that broke the jinx of going without beating them, we also beat alot of big teams except the games against Tusker.

“The cup was better because I got to score more goals and won two man of the match awards. I would have preferred to lift the cup as it would have given us a chance to take part in the Confederation Cup this season, but it eluded us just like that.

"The aim now is to become more consistent this coming season given those performances."

Owiti comes from a family of three. His twin brother Faraj Oden and older brother Aziz Okaka. His father was also a former footballer who played for Leopards. Okaka also doned the Ingwe shirt before he left for Nairobi City Stars.

Owiti says he would not have made it without the impact each of his family members had on his career.

“It was amazing to get to grow as footballers’ sons. Our dad played for AFC Leopards,so he gave us guidelines on how to make it, have discipline and being hard workers.

“Having three brothers playing in the Premier League is not easy. Even when we meet during games, it is always nice to compete against each other.

“He made things easy for me when I left Chemelil to join AFC. I was still young, but he made the environment friendly enough for me to adapt quickly in Nairobi. He enabled me to know everything I needed to know.”

In June 2021, the 25-year-old had to go through the misfortune of suffering from an anterior cruciate ligament injury in a match against Tusker.

He is forever indebted to his brother Okaka for rallying behind him during his injury, as well as then  club patron and current Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi.

“When I got injured, I was in good form, so it was the wrong time to get an injury. When the doctors told me I was going to be out for a year, I was so worried and did not think I would ever get fit again.

“It took me a month before I was able to undergo surgery to reconstruct it. It was tough because I wanted to get back onto the pitch but I could not. My brother helped me out by encouraging me to overcome it.

“Our patron played a big role in helping facilitate my recovery.”

Owiti launched his career in 2016 just shortly after leaving high school in 2015, when he was scouted and signed by then Chemelil Sugar and current Police head coach Francis Baraza.

“When I left school in 2015, Francis Baraza, the Police head coach spotted me during the school games, then came home and asked me to join Chemelil because at Mukumu, we used to play friendlies against Chemelil Sugar.

“At Chemelil, I learnt the art of learning to be prudent with my resources given how difficult it was there considering the payroll system was not consistent because of the club’ financial woes. There was no time to be materialistic.

“I am grateful for Baraza for exposing me to Premier League level after just leaving school. He gave me a lot of playing time, got a chance to play a lot of u20 football, and it even gave me a chance to play for the national team against Sudan under Stanley Okumbi in the 1-1 draw in 2016.”

Owiti has revealed the reason that he has failed to build on from his solitary cup for Harambee Stars, believing he will make the cut again soon.

“Injury cost me big time. I thank God for that and I am very confident that I will return to the national team. I was named man of the match in two Mozzart Bet Cup games.”

Leopards have struggled to hit the upper echelons for the better part of the 21st century. Owiti wants the club to learn from its previous mistakes if it is to ever stand a chance of reclaiming its lost glory.

“We only have ourselves to blame from what happened last season. We cannot blame the coach. We hope we will make amends from the mistakes we made last season in order to grow.

“We should be in the top five positions minimum. We want to win the league after years. We have been talking about winning the title for years, but you cannot just lift the title by talking.

“We did not finish far away from the top five. We have to take responsibility. Hopefully, the changes made will help us edge closer to lifting it."