One such person is Eddie Semwanga, one of the greatest and most consistent players for the national team. September 3 marked 28 years since he passed on. Coincidentally, the same date found me at St Mary’s stadium, Kitende for The Cranes’ Chan qualifier against Tanzania.
Some colleagues and I spent much of the match debating Semwanga’s legacy and whether he ranks as the greatest right back in Ugandan football history. Names such as Paul Hasule, John Latigo or William Nkemba were thrown around but to me, none matched Ssemwanga’s tenacity game, discipline, commitment, mobility, as well as consistency.
His fitness levels were incredible and during his prime, his name was always the first on any coach’s match-day list. I was fortunate to watch him in the seventies until his retirement in mid- eighties. He could play all the defensive positions and fitted well in midfield too.
HOOKED TO PRISONS FC
Hailing from Kalungu district, Semwanga was first spotted at Masaka Union FC. He made his big breakthrough after joining Prisons FC at the end of the 1969 season after impressing coach Bill Kirkham. In Semwanga, Prisons unearthed the long-time replacement for Peter Okee, who was nearing the end of his career.
Indeed, he didn’t take long to impress and in 1970, Burkhard Pape summoned him to The Cranes team to kickstart a remarkable career in which he was the country’s undisputed number two.
Such was his consistency that during his prime, all Cranes starting XI positions used to change due to some injuries, fitness issues or lack of form but the only constant was Semwanga and rarely did he ever get substituted.
UGANDA CRANES GLUE
At Prisons FC, Semwanga was quickly elevated to become skipper and led a watertight defence that had Natal Mwaka, Amadeo Sentamu, Mike Diku and goalie Peter Wanyonyi. At the national team, he was ever present as Uganda lifted the 1973, 1976 and 1977 Cecafa titles. He would go on to be part of The Cranes at the 1974, 1976 and 1978 Afcons.
Perhaps Ssewmanga is best remembered for his role in Uganda’s 1978 Afcon qualification decider against Ethiopia at Nakivubo. Uganda badly needed the win but by stoppage time, with the tie level, several fans had given up and had left the stadium.
But Semwanga had other ideas. He floated a free-kick in the opponent’s 18-yard area which Jimmy Kirunda headed in for the famous win.
UGANDA CRANES SKIPPER
The 1979 war sent Uganda football in disarray by forcing many players from clubs that belonged to the forces [Prisons, Police and Simba] to flee to exile. However, Semwanga returned to Masaka and went undercover. When the dust settled, he re-joined Masaka Union as player/coach.
In the months that followed after the war, Cranes coach Peter Okee handed Semwanga the national team captaincy in the absence of Kirunda and injured Moses Nsereko. At 35 years, the 1984 season proved to be his last as a top-level player. He hung up his boots but remained in his coaching role at Masaka.
In 1986, he was diagnosed with cancer which resulted from one of the painkillers he got during his time at Uganda Cranes. The situation worsened in 1993, and on September 3, 1994, he breathed his last at 46 years. He was survived by 14 children.
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