The sheer mention of George Kyagaba Mukasa’s name in the local football fraternity evokes sharp memories of the no-nonsense giant goalkeeper, and a game legend of the 1970s to the 1980s.
Just as his laid-back demeanour through his playing days, a mark of his personality, Mukasa passed on silently at Mengo hospital on Sunday, November 1, aged 79, after succumbing to a liver complication.
But although Mukasa was not the kind of personality that loved the limelight, he was the kind of individual, who wielded immense authority. That made him one of the most respected coaches in the country.
It is against that background that he handled clubs like SC Villa, Express and Coffee. Mukasa was also crucial at KCCA FC, where he played a key role in developing young talent in the club’s youth programme known as City Cubs.
Mukasa was actually second to none in shaping several football careers in the country. Interestingly, not many have gone out there waxing lyrical about Mukasa’s contribution to Ugandan football.
It is against that background that he may not have been that famous. But make no mistake, Mukasa will always be a cornerstone in the history of Ugandan football.
HUMBLE BEGINNINGS
Mukasa was a star goalkeeper for KCCA, where he won major titles, before helping SC Villa and Express to major titles as a coach.
Mukasa, like several other football stars from the late 60s, honed his football skills on the football fields around the shanty suburb of Kisenyi-Mengo along with peers like Godfrey Kisitu, Wilson Nsobya, Fred Lukwago (Giringi) and Timothy Ayiekoh, among others. At 20 years, he played for Nakivubo Boys, a non-league side in 1968.
As a young goalkeeper at the time, Mukasa was such a brave and no-nonsense individual. Yet, even with his laidback character, Mukasa was a hothead. But that did not stop him from joining Express FC in 1969.
The youthful goalie possessed lightning-fast reflexes. He was an exceptional shot stopper, too, which the late Express supremo, Jolly Joe Kiwanuka admired. In 1970, Mukasa was selected for the Buganda youth team, which gave him more exposure in regional tournaments.
SWAPPING EXPRESS FOR KCCA
At Express, Mukasa was rarely fielded due to the presence of the legendary Joseph Masajjage. So, by 1971, when Mukasa was a national youth team player, he needed more playing time.
He thus made the bold decision to join KCCA, a second tier league club at the time. Mukasa made this move at the behest of club coach, Bidandi Ssali who was building a new team at the time.
The charismatic goalkeeper elevated KCCA to even greater heights, which included securing promotion to the top flight in 1974. In fact, Mukasa’s time at KCCA coincided with one of the most successful periods in the club’s history.
It was during that time that the club had top players like Jimmy Kirunda, Moses Nsereko, Phillip Omondi, Tom Lwanga, Moses Sentamu, Angelo Dotte, Hussein Matovu, William Mindrea, Sam Musenze, Christopher Ddungu, Peter Mazinga and Timothy Ayiekho, who went ahead to dominate the national senior team.
As the golden generation of Masajjage, Patrick Natan and Fred Nkolwa began to wane, Mukasa became a mainstay as The Cranes goalkeeper. In 1975, during the Cecafa tournament in Zambia, although Uganda did not win the cup, Mukasa was instrumental. His performances were impressive throughout.
Mukasa was part of The Cranes at the 1976 Afcon in Ethiopia, but a nagging knee injury denied him a chance of playing a key role in the tournament. This gave the other goalkeepers: Hussein Matovu and Ali Sendegeya an opportunity to steal the headlines.
However, Mukasa bounced back to famously take the 1976 Cecafa Cup in Zanzibar by storm. Uganda beat Zambia in the final that year. That same year, KCCA won its first league title and defended it a year later, before winning their maiden Cecafa club championship in 1978 with Mukasa a key member of the team.
COACHING CAREER
In 1979, Mukasa, together with Bidandi Ssali and Jack Ibale, the KCCA chairman came up with the idea of starting a KCCA academy team known as City Cubs. Mukasa was appointed its head coach.
That kick-started Mukasa’s coaching career at the age of 32. Mukasa went on to recruit a host of young players from Kampala schools.
It is this arrangement that brought fourth top talents at City Cubs like goalkeeper John Tebusweke, Jimmy Sekandi, Charles Masiko, Godfrey Kateregga, Yusuf Ssonko, George Serunjogi, Joseph Kiwanuka, Godfrey Mukasa, Yusuf Kyeyune, Joseph Ssekitto and John Kawesi among others.
By the end of the 1981 season, Mukasa’s coaching credentials had developed by leaps and bounds. As a result of that, it became difficult for KCCA to keep a hold on him; outside interest was building.
SC Villa came knocking and Patrick Kawooya lured Mukasa to Villa Park. His departure dismantled the City Cubs but made SC Villa pretty strong. In fact, a year later (1982), he guided SC Villa to its first league title.
This stirred a big rivalry between the Jogoos and the Kasasiro Boys, henceforth. Mukasa wrote history by ensuring that Villa went unbeaten that whole season. Unfortunately, Villa did not defend their title in 1983, but denied KCCA a league and cup double, following Villa’s 1-0 win in the Uganda Cup final.
That result went a long way in stoking the rivalry between KCCA and Villa. As earlier pointed out, although Mukasa was a reserved individual, he had a hot streak about him.
In fact, it came to a head, in August 1983; Mukasa assaulted referee Dick Nsubuga for what he deemed as biased refereeing during SC Villa’s game with Nytil. This resulted in Mukasa’s suspension by the club for one month.
This did not go down well with Mukasa, and at the beginning of the 1984 season, he moved to Express. At the same time, Fufa appointed him Uganda Cranes coach. The expectation at the time was that Mukasa would lead The Cranes to Cecafa success in 1984.
Unfortunately, Malawi beat Uganda in the semi-finals at Mbale Municipal stadium. Fufa replaced Mukasa with Barnabas Mwesiga at the beginning of 1985. Meanwhile, Mukasa’s impact at Express was felt in 1985.
Although KCCA beat Express to the league title on goal difference that year, Mukasa guided the Red Eagles to Uganda Cup success, following a 3-1 walloping of KCCA in the final. It was Express’ first Uganda Cup trophy.
But in 1987, when Express replaced Mukasa with Robert Kiberu, the giant coach moved to Nsambya, before later handling the likes of Spear Motors, Coffee FC and his Butiko (mushrooms) clan football team. Mukasa stopped coaching in 1995.