Kisoro district will forever remember Jonathan McKinstry as the first Uganda Cranes’ Coach to summon a Mufumbira onto a national team.
Kisoro district had never had an opportunity of getting a representative on the Uganda’s national team until in 2020 when Bobosi Byaruhaga a player at Vipers FC a Uganda Premier league Entity was called to participate in the 2020 AFCON qualifiers that were later postponed to march 2021.
On 19 April 2021 it was confirmed by Federation of Uganda Football Associations that McKinstry had reached an agreement with FUFA to bring an end to his 18 months at the helm of the Uganda Cranes. This was bad news for Kisoro people as they considered Mickinstry as their new beginning.
However, they were shortly in June 2021 surprised when Villa SC’s forward, Abdallah Salim was also included on the List alongside Bobosi Byaruhanga for the AFCON U20 tournament held in Mauritania.
Journey to success
The 19 year old Mufumbira by tribe was born on 31st December 2001 in Nyarusiza Sub County, Kisoro district. He completed his primary level education at Real quality primary school, Kisoro in 2013. He however attended many primary schools before registering for PLE due to the love for football that forced him to join all schools that gave time for the sport.
Among them is Seseme primary, Kisoro demonstration primary school and Kisoro hill primary school. He played for Nyarusiza FC, Kisoro young Simba Academy and Harambe Stars FC of Kabale during this period.
He later joined Standard high school Zana for S1-S3 in 2014/16 before joining St Mary’s Kitende secondary school in 2017 for S4 where he completed his S6 in 2019.
Since he joined St Mary’s Kitende ss, he has played for St Mary’s Kitende school team, Vipers Junior team and currently Vipers senior team.
Byaruhanga had an impressive form at the club last season, making him one of the key players at the Kitende based side. He also continued his promising form at the U20 National team the Hippos that finished as runners up at the AFCON U20 tournament held in Mauritania this year.
Adding on that success, the Venoms midfielder made his senior debut for the National team, on June 10th/2021, as the Cranes lost to South Africa in an international friendly.
Speaking to vomuhabura, Bobosi Byaruhanga says that his dream as a young footballer was to play for the national team and having a professional career. He attributes his success to hard work and having gone through right hands of coaches both at Kisoro Young Simba FC to Vipers SC.
The Venoms and cranes Midfielder states that he was also encouraged by the Myth among many people from Kisoro do not know how to play football that gave him a reason to prove them wrong.
“My dream was to play for the Uganda National team and having a professional career at any team in Europe. I desire living the Onyango style and i’m determined to by the end of last season”, Bobosi said.
His first Coaches speak out
GACUCU
The former Kisoro district football Association (DFA) Chairman, Nshimiyimana Benon commonly known as Gacucu for his footballing style of not fearing dust, says that Kisoro has a big generation of talented footballers who just need exposure in order to get professional clubs.
Gacucu, a holder of FUFA’s Level 1 coaching Linces, attributes Kisoro’s football talents on late Salim Brake’s hard work to support football talents during his reign as a football Coach at Kisoro young Simba. He says that Salim trained him alongside other veteran players and he always encouraged them to work hard, and achieve big from football.
He says that he coached both Bobosi Byaruhanga and Abdallah Salim before sending them to schools in Kampala with hopes that they would boost their football talents with big schools.
“I saw Bobosi as a young goal keeper in the year 2007, I trained him alongside Salim until 2014 when I got an opportunity for them in Kampala. The opportunity was to study at standard high school Zana where they had been promised bursaries. Their parents first denied them but later accepted”, Gacucu noted.
Gacucu continues to say that he feels proud to have his products as a coach enjoying international football, an inspiration to many Bafumbira. He adds that the Bobosi and Salim are a reason why he has started a new football academy.
“I feel proud to see my products play at the national team, an inspiration to many others. It will boost morale among my academy young stars”, Benon said.
However, Gacucu encouraged Bobosi and Abdalla salim to now focus at playing for clubs in europe
NDAYAMBAJE
The Kisoro Young Simba Coach doubling as Salim Brake’s product, Alex Ndayambajje saiys that good behaviors exhibited by both Bobosi Byaruhanga has greatly contributed to his success.
As a coach, Ndayambajje won two trophies with both Bobosi and Salim in 2017 during the u17 Airtel rising star in Masindi. He says that he and Gacucu realized their abilities and pushed them to higher levels.
Like Gacucu, Alex says that he feels proud to have Young Simba FC players enjoying international football, something that the late Salim fought for during his time as a coach.
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