If it were in football terms, the performance of music diva Winnie Nwagi at the KCCA FC season-end awards dinner last Saturday, could have equated to a treble.
For good measure, her choice of dress, a silver glowing net-like outfit, mildly transparent, was inviting.
The dance strokes from her gloriously curvy body were awing, as clearly the Uganda Premier League board chairman Arinaitwe Rugyendo was left to reminisce.
Nwagi’s infectious smile lit up everyone from Lord Mayor Erias Lukwago, who was left blushing, after she sang in his ear. One could have wished she was the main focus for the night. However, the spotlight was on KCCA players, the 2016/2017 league and cup champions; an occasion to celebrate achievement.
It showed how far KCCA is leaving the rest of the park in Ugandan football. It was not just about Geoffrey Sserunkuma scooping an unprecedented three awards: The club’s Best Player (Phillip Omondi award), the Fans’ Player of the year and the Players’ Player of the year (Jimmy Kirunda award), as voted by his teammates.
But also the fact that the Phillip Omondi award earned him a land title while the other two awards earned him Shs 1 million each. “We are one team that appreciates effort,” Julius Kabugo acknowledged.
The 30-player squad was given Shs 30 million and a cheque worth $50,000 or Shs 179 million. This is a novelty. Each should earn Shs 6 million, although board director Aggrey Ashaba says reward will be performance-based.
Mike Mutebi and his ten support staff will share $25,000 or Shs 89 million. Such cash incentives can only motivate good performance.
But above all, KCCA is setting a new agenda in the Ugandan game. Ashaba said the money was promised before the season kicked off. That explains why KCCA players and staff worked hard. Sserunkuma, scorer of 31 goals this season, agrees.
The best fan, Khassim Kyazze, the usually clown-looking yellow-painted man on matchdays, walked away with a Shs 500,000 cheque and a glass plaque for his efforts.
Kyazze was overwhelmed by the recognition and broke down in tears as he rubbed shoulders with the club’s legends such as Tom Lwanga, Jimmy Kirunda and Jackson Mayanja during a colourful black-tie event at City Hall Sadat Anaku, who won the young player award named after Mayanja, has such a task to emulate his idol.
jovi@observer.ug