On the way, however, the team bus reportedly collided with a lorry and rolled several times. When the dust settled, it was a macabre scene. It was discovered that four players had died on spot, including Uganda Cranes sweeper Swaib Mayanja [a brother to former Cranes striker late Ali Kitonsa], winger Frank Bbaale, goalie Katongole and a one Khalifan.
Those severely injured included Dan Mulindwa, Moses Wamala and Sula Kasirivu. Luckily, they were rushed to hospital and got out of danger but many players part of that contingent had to spend several months on the sidelines while others got permanently disabled and thus quit the sport.
Team coach Sam Kyakonye is one of the few who escaped with minor injuries. Meanwhile, renowned Uganda Cranes winger Denis Obua and defender Asumani Lubowa survived the fate by skipping the trip to remain in Kampala for Cranes duty.
In general, the tragedy greatly broke down the team both in morale and financially. The Easter friendlies were called off and survivors were given time off to recover from the physical and emotional stress. From then on, it was a downward spiral for the club.
BACKGROUND
It was in 1969 that Police FC joined the top-flight and took it by storm when they finished in fifth. In 1970, they went on a recruitment spree that saw the arrival of promising players like Denis Obua, Francis Kulabigwo, Wilson Nsobya, Meddie Lubega, Swaib Mayanja, Dick Nsubuga and a one Ogutta, among others.
Police narrowly missed out on the league title and lost out to Coffee FC on goal difference. During the seventies, key players such as Lubega and Kulabigwo left Police to join the more lucrative Army FC (now Simba FC). Several other players followed suit and this greatly weakened the team so much that by 1976, it was no longer a title contender.
THE EFFECT OF THE 1976 TRAGEDY
At the time of the tragedy, the league had just started and in the aftermath, Police had several of their league games postponed but the team never recovered. They went on to finish bottom of the league in spite of the recruitment of young players like goalie Semwanga Kisolo, Paul Mukasa and Mohammad Ramadan.
When the team got relegated, coach Kyakonye stepped down. Star player Obua joined Maroons FC while Lubowa moved to Lint FC. The team’s troubles worsened in 1979 when their Tata bus got confiscated by soldiers during the war.
MOVING ON
Obua would later return to Police in 1980 but couldn’t do much to help it return to the top-flight. In the years that followed, the team remained mediocre until 1996 when Obua, as coach, guided it back to the top-tier.
Then in 2005, Police defied all odds and won the 2005 league title under the guidance of Lubowa and the following year, the Cops won the Cecafa Cup title. At the moment, the team is struggling to avoid relegation and it remains to be seen whether it will ever rediscover its devastating form of the mid-2000s.
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