Okello leads cast of old boys in Vipers-KCCA clash
KCCA's Allan Okello (C) is sandwiched by Vipers defenders Murushid Juuko (L) and Livingstone Mulondo. Okello has since switched to Vipers. PHOTO/JOHN BATANUDDE
What you need to know:
Okello leads a cast of seven players with strong links on either side with midfielder Moses Waiswa the other Vipers player to have previously donned the KCCA yellow kit.
The huge turnover of players in the Startimes Uganda Premier League over the past two decades has greatly watered down the news worthiness and impact of players turning guns against their former employers.
But as Vipers host rivals KCCA at Kitende on Saturday, the sight and subsequent performance of Allan Okello's twinkle toes in a Vipers jersey will be one of the major talking points from the match.
Okello leads a cast of seven players with strong links on either side with midfielder Moses Waiswa the other Vipers player to have previously donned the KCCA yellow kit.
KCCA on the other hand have five players with connections at Kitende including the trio of goalkeeper Mutwalibi Mugolofa, defender Gavin Kizito and midfielder Ashraf Mugume who featured at St Mary's Kitende the school also owned by Vipers president Lawrence Mulindwa.
Mugume went on to play for the senior Vipers team with Bright Anukani and Isa Mubiru the other players who have since changed course.
But it is playmaker Okello who will be the centre of attention in what will be his second game against his former paymasters.
Many at KCCA don't seem to have gotten over their former poster boy's decision to switch sides at the start of last season going by remarks made as the Lugogo based announced their squad for the current season.
Both KCCA FC board chairman Andrew Sserunjogi Mukiibi and patron Erias Lukwago prophesized the KCCA youth team graduate would return home in future.
But for now they will have to live with the fact that they failed to deal with the player's demands that included treatment of a long-standing knee problem.
Mulindwa duly cashed in and has this season started seeing signs of the ability of the player once touted as the future of Ugandan football after a breathtaking start that included a debut hattrick for KCCA against Onduparaka in 2017.
Okello seems liberated this season especially under new coach John "Ayala" Luyinda and the growing understanding with him, Yunus Sentamu and Milton Karisa is starting to bear fruit.
The trio combined for both goals in a 2-0 win against Wakiso while Okello assisted Sentamu in the win against Mbarara to add to his joint league-leading five goals this season.
