Chris Bernard Rwanika, one of the most influential figures in Ugandan football, died on January 3 due to respiratory complications.
He was 82. In an administrative career that spanned more than four decades, he held several high-profile positions in football as well as the civil service, yet he remained a down-to-earth person, almost unrecognizable by today’s young Turks.
Back in 1985, Rwanika was the most powerful man in Ugandan football and his first big challenge was to take a stand in the controversial transfer saga involving Godfrey ‘Superstar’ Kateregga, domestic football’s biggest name at the time.
Months earlier, Kateregga, a stylish KCC winger, had declared his intention to join SC Villa but the move had stalled due to paperwork complications, something that rendered him idle for almost eight months.
Villa’s camp accused the Fufa administration headed by politician Rwabona Kagurusi, a KCC fan, of siding with the Yellows to deny them their prized asset. However, in the wake of regime change in July 1985, Kagurusi vacated the seat to leave a deep void in football administration.
The newly-elected National Council of Sports (NCS) headed by Abbey Kafumbe Mukasa reached consensus to appoint Rwanika, a well-known KCC stalwart, as Fufa boss.
The development left Villa and Kateregga resigned to fate. But in a shocking twist, Rwanika called for common sense to prevail and okayed the winger to join Villa Park. He reasoned that Kateregga’s heart was with Villa and it wouldn’t help matters if Fufa abetted the stifling of a great talent.
That incident is one of many that came to define Rwanika as a sober head during heated situations. It also greatly endeared him among administrators for his composure and knack to work with everyone for the sake of moving forward.
In the months that followed, Rwanika is remembered for leading the campaign to overhaul The Cranes, whose form had declined with ageing 1978 African Nations Cup stars such as Phillip Omondi, Jamil Kasirye, Godfrey Kisitu, and Tom Lwanga, among others.
Indeed, they were all dropped but later recalled when Rwanika left the Fufa top seat to become permanent secretary in the newly-created ministry for rehabilitation and refugees in 1986. He spent just seven months as Fufa boss.
CAREER ADMINISTRATOR
The Fufa top seat may have been the highlight of Rwanika’s career in football administration, but there is more to the man popularly known as Mr Cool-headed. It was in the early seventies that Rwanika rose to prominence in football circles; first, as an ardent fan of KCC FC, and also as Kampala deputy town clerk in 1975.
Later that year, sweeping changes in KCC FC saw Rwanika elected club secretary to replace the outspoken Fred Iga, whose allegiance was doubted by many club faithful. The new KCC hierarchy had Jack Ibaale as chairman while John Kakyebara was vice chairman, Edward Kiwanuka became club treasurer, Sam Musenze elected club captain with Jaberi Bidandi-Ssali, the coach/ team manager.
This administration sparked a golden era at the club that saw KCC win three major titles in four years including two league crowns as well as the Cecafa club championship.
Due to his commitment to council work, the club replaced Rwanika with Dr Kamulegeya in 1978. But two years later, he bounced back as club secretary, ironically, because Dr Kamulegeya’s work schedule left him no time for club matters.
It was around this time that I first came in touch with Rwanika, who was one of the few people with football history and stats on their fingertips. He was also a regular at the club’s training ground in Lugogo, often joking with players and everyone around with little regard to his high profile.
Even in situations where fans clashed with Ibaale over poor results and lack of transfer activity, Rwanika and Bidandi-Ssali always played the mediator role. However, when Rwanika was elevated to the full position of Kampala town clerk in 1981, he handed over the club duties to Dr Timothy Muteesasira.
That was the height of Villa emergence as a force, on top of Express FC’s revival, coupled with Coffee FC’s deep pockets spearheaded by Alex Kiseego. So, KCC faced a huge challenge to cling onto its top players.
In turn, Rwanika solved the situation by helping several KCC players gain meaningful employment in the council.
IN AND OUT OF FOOTBALL
When Rwanika left the town clerk position in 1984, he surprised many when he opted to become a businessman based in Kikuubo. Speculation at the time was that he had become exhausted with football and needed a break.
Of course, that was until August 1985 when the Kafumbe-led NCS team appointed him to the top position in local football. A section of the KCC administration may have felt betrayed by that Kateregga decision but two years later, Rwanika amazingly enjoyed a warm welcome back into the club hierarchy as vice chairman in 1987.
However, he left the club administration in 1989 to concentrate on his private businesses. But in 1993, he made yet another comeback to football, this time starting from the grassroots.
By then, it was a turbulent time in Ugandan football, with two Fufa factions fighting for supremacy. He was elected a Fufa delegate representing Nakawa division, a position he used to join the John Baptist Semanobe-led Fufa group as a supporter.
On the other hand was the Moses Ali-led faction. Somehow, Rwanika found acceptance from the Ali group due to his willingness to put differences aside. He was widely seen as the peacemaker in a volatile situation where name- calling and mudslinging was the order of the day.
At the height of the wrangling in 1995, a poll was organized to have a united Fufa. At the end of the day, the Semanobe-group lost miserably but, surprisingly, Rwanika was unopposed as Fufa general secretary.
This was testament to his credentials as a unifying figure. His biggest challenge came a year later when Uganda failed to enter the qualification campaign for the 1998 Africa Cup of Nations. A section of Fufa executives accused Rwanika of sabotage but before the situation could go out of hand, Kenya’s Job Omino saved the day by helping Uganda succeed with a late entry into the competition.
SOCIABLE
Beyond his work in football, Rwanika was one of the most sociable persons, always cracking jokes at will. On the several occasions we met, not once did he ridicule me for writing negatively about him or Fufa.
He always addressed himself as a Mukiga from Kabale but at some point, I actually doubted it because he wasn’t aggressive or confrontational, be it in physique or character. He was such a joy to be with because there was always a lot to learn from him.
Rwanika quit top football administration in 1998 and from then on, he took a back seat by remaining a Fufa delegate till 2009. Looking back, Rwanika may
not get the deserved credit but he formulated the paperwork on which Uganda secured the now famous Fifa annual grant in 1998.
With such a rich football CV, Rwanika deserves a place among the top echelons on Ugandan football but, unfortunately, not much of this is out there in the open for football folks to ponder about.
Rwanika died a frustrated man as far as his contribution in football is concerned and I can only pray football stakeholders wake up to recognize those diligent servants of the game still alive.
Rest in peace, Rwanika!
bzziwa@observer.ug
The author is the operations director of The Observer Media Ltd
