POLLY OUMA, one of the finest strikers in Ugandan football history, passed on December 30 at Nsambya hospital.
A star for Simba FC and the Uganda Cranes in the late 1960s and 1970s, he left an indelible mark on the game as one of the greatest. Known for his excellent technique, vision and aerial prowess, Ouma was also a natural leader, captaining both his club and the national team in his playing career that lasted more than two decades.
As Hassan Badru Zziwa writes, his career was defined by crucial moments, none more so than his vital goal against Algeria in 1973, which secured Uganda’s qualification for the 1974 Africa Cup of Nations.
In the wake of Ouma’s death, I received several calls from fans and pundits, asking who between Ouma and Phillip Omondi is Uganda’s greatest ever footballer. My response was simple; both men were good in their own right.
They peaked in different eras and whereas Omondi was the more skilled with the ball, Ouma was more clinical and his more than two decades of top-level performance is a testament of his greatness.
It is hard to vouch for either player without not seeming to downplay the other. One thing is clear, even when there is very little footage of Ouma’s playing days, no sane person can come up with Uganda’s greatest XI and leave out Ouma.
So, it was only fitting that hundreds of mourners gathered at Mengo SS Cathedral and later at the Kadiba Fufa stadium to pay their final respects to the man who dominated Ugandan football on the field and on the touchline.
Among the mourners was the legendary Tom Lwanga, who played with Ouma in the historic 1978 Afcon fairytale.
“With Polly, even the most planned defense grew nervous. His explosive accuracy could turn a feint into a triumph in a moment. He always seemed to snatch a goal when it was most needed,” he said.
Paul Ssali, another Cranes great, recalled: “Ouma was one of the finest. Neatness, coolness, and precision defined his game.”
Meanwhile, former footballer Kitatta Semakula added: “He mastered his craft and knew his worth. He was an intelligent player. He analyzed, thought, and talked about the game as constructively as he played it.”
Former Cranes winger Fred Serwadda summed it up: “He was a class apart, carrying a profound sense of dignity both as a person and a performer.”
A STORIED CAREER
Ouma’s football journey began in the mid-1960s as a top prospect at St Henry’s College Kitovu. Coffee FC signed him up in 1966 and within just a year, his immense skill attracted Army FC.
It was with Army FC that national team coach Robert Kiberu summoned him to the Uganda Cranes for the 1968 Africa Cup of Nations in Ethiopia. He quickly became a first-choiuce center-forward, making his presence felt across East Africa.
In 1968, he was selected for the East African team that faced the visiting English side West Bromwich Albion. Alongside Swalleh Wasswa and John Dibya, Ouma formed a legendary attacking trident for the Cranes.
He was instrumental in the team that lifted the East Africa Challenge Cup three years consecutively (1968, 1969, 1970). At club level, he was a cornerstone of the Army side, which later morphed into Simba FC.
He captained them to their first league title in 1971. In 1972, he led Simba to a historic feat as the first East African team to reach the final of the Africa Club Championship, where they were narrowly defeated by Guinea’s Hafia Club.
His leadership was so respected that he attained the rank of Captain in the army while simultaneously skippering both Simba and the Uganda Cranes.
THE NATIONAL HERO
Ouma’s heroics were never more vital than during the 1974 Afcon qualifiers. After Uganda won the first leg against Algeria in Kampala, the return leg in Algiers required only a draw.
When Algeria took an early lead, hope seemed lost. But with minutes remaining, Ouma scored a dramatic equalizer, sending Uganda through on a 3-2 aggregate. In a shocking turn, Ouma announced his retirement from the Cranes just before the 1974 tournament following a disagreement with coach Westhoff Otto.
Uganda performed poorly without him. Public pressure mounted after further failures, and in 1975, he answered the nation’s call to return from retirement. In a crucial 1976 Afcon qualifier against Zambia in Kampala, with Uganda trailing and time running out, Ouma entered as a substitute to roaring cheers.
With his first touch, he set up Phillip Omondi for the opener, then scored the second himself, inspiring a 3-0 win that sent Uganda through. He later helped Uganda win two more Cecafa Cup titles (1976, 1977) and played in the 1976 and 1978 Afcon tournaments.
His final Cranes appearance was cut short by injury in the opening game of the 1978 tournament in Ghana.
COACHING AND LATER YEARS
Following the fall of Amin’s government in 1979, Ouma exiled himself to Kenya. He pursued a coaching course in Germany and handled several Kenyan teams before returning to Uganda in 1986 to join SC Villa as head coach.
He immediately led them to a historic league and cup double, repeating the league success and adding a Cecafa Cup in 1987. After a stint at Bell FC, he joined KCCA FC and was also appointed Uganda Cranes coach in 1989.
He guided the national team to three Cecafa Cup titles (1989, 1990, 1992). He resigned in 1995 but remained active in football, serving as Fufa vice president- Technical from 1998 to 2005.
He later coached Express FC and acted as the Uganda Cranes assistant coach until his retirement from the game in 2007. In his later years, he kept a low profile and matters were not helped when his health deteriorated.
At the time of his passing, only a handful of people knew about his poor health condition. Many of today’s generation may not fully grasp Ouma’s immense contribution on the game but one only needs to look at the trophies he won as player and coach to understand that no one person – before and after Ouma – comes close to him in not only giving us great memories, but also influencing the game.
In his last days, one of the most haunting things were the old Uganda Cranes photo from the sixties and seventies. In most of the photos, Ouma was the sole survivor, with the rest dead.
So, in many ways his demise wipes out a legendary football era. Fare thee well, Polly Ouma. Your legacy is forever etched in Ugandan football history.
Polly Ouma factfile
As a player for Simba, he won two league titles (1971, 1978) and one Uganda Cup (1976).
He captained Simba from 1970 to 1979, memorably leading the team that reached 1972 Africa Club Championship final
As a player with The Cranes, he won six Cecafa Cup titles (1968, 1969, 1970, 1973, 1976, 1977).
He captained Uganda between 1972 and 1974.
As Uganda Cranes coach between 1989 and 1995, he won three Cecafa Cup titles (1989, 1990, 1992).
As SC Villa coach between 1986 and 1987, he won two league titles (1986, 1987), one Uganda Cup (1986) and one Cecafa Cup title (1987).
Other clubs he coached include KCCA, Bell, Nile and Express.