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Bobosi Byaruhanga, Fauzia Najjemba feted
The King and Queen. Vipers midfielder Bobosi Byaruhanga (left) and Kampala Queens forward Fauzia Najjemba pose with their best player trophies for the men and women on December 4. PHOTO/JOHN BATANUDDE
What you need to know:
- Like Lionel Messi’s seventh Ballon d’Or at the expense of Robert Lewandowski left many in shock and debate, Byaruhanga’ s crowning also had that more.
And so it was Bobosi Byaruhanga who cruised home the brand new Subaru N14 Airtel Fufa male best player prize on Saturday.
The Vipers and Uganda Cranes budding midfielder is basking in the awards glory after seeing off teammate Aziz Kayondo and Express forward Eric Kambale to claim the top prize.
And yet Byaruhanga’s success this year probably requires some unpacking as many felt Kambale, a league and Cecafa Kagame Cup winner, had the biggest claim on it.
Like Lionel Messi’s seventh Ballon d’Or at the expense of Robert Lewandowski left many in shock and debate, Byaruhanga’ s crowning also had that more.
The murmurs inside the gigantic tent that housed the function said it louder, with most of the guests believing the fact that Express coach Wasswa Bbosa was rewarded the best coach, and so should have been Kambale.
Byaruhanga, accompanied by his mum, also seemed surprised, turning to sobbing as he thanked those that voted him.
“I lost my father when I was young and school fees became a challenge. I want to thank Mr Justus Mugisha (Fufa first vice president) who got me from Kisoro and offered me a scholarship at Standard High School, Zzana,” he said.
The voting pattern is not fodder for the general public as it is with the Balloon d’Or but Fufa say voting was online.
Earlier, Kampala Queens forward Fauzia Najjemba had trounced Lady Doves challengers Fazila Ikwaput and Daisy Nakaziro to the car prize.
The guest of honour, Speaker Jacob Oulanyah, handed the car keys and Shs1m prize monies to the winners.
Sentamu omission
Last season’s Uganda Premier League top scorer Yunus Sentamu, who like Byaruhanga and Kayondo won the Uganda Cup and featured for Uganda Cranes, received no mention.
Sentamu was omitted from the final three-man shortlist and also left out of the final team of the season for reportedly failing to comply with the awards requirement.
The striker, replaced with teammate Caesar Manzoki, could have shaken Byaruhanga for a claim to the award after his stellar season.
NMG’s Ssali honoured
Veteran sports journalist Mark Ssali was the recipient of the Fufa president award – a preserve for men that have laid a brick on football development. Ssali, a panelist on the NTV Pressbox sports show and former Daily Monitor sports editor, was excited with the recognition.
“I’m really shocked to receive this award. I had no clue it was coming. When I was invited on phone by Ahmed Hussein, I was told I would be giving away an award like many other guests.
Sports pundit Mark Ssali. PHOTO/JOHN BATANUDDE
“It is an honour and quite humbling to be recognised by others for decades of work, for my passion and love for what I do. And if it helps inspire some young sportsmen and journalists to walk this path in a similar way, it will have been truly worth it,” Ssali said.
