Magumba bids emotional farewell to the game

Ex-internationals, celebrities and, current and former stars of Ugandan soccer pose with Hakim Magumba (circled) before his testimonial match at Nakivubo stadium on Saturday afternoon. The former SC Villa star hang up his boots. PHOTO by Ismail Kezaala

KAMPALA.

Hakim Magumba on Saturday officially hang up his soccer boots in front of a large section of mainly Villa fans at Nakivubo.

In an emotional farewell, the pocket-sized midfielder broke down as he narrated a journey that took him from a ball-boy in Iganga into the country’s best offensive midfielders of the last two decades.

“I have played with five generations at SC Villa and I feel I could play for three more years but it is time to let the younger ones shine,” he stated.

In what has been a bitter-sweet relationship during his three stints at the club, Magumba expressed anger at being asked to pay Shs300,000 to have the current SC Villa players at the function.

“I was bought for Shs500,000,” said the player who made his debut for SC Villa in 1998 from Iganga TC. “Villa is and will always remain my first love; we have gone through a lot including going without any pay for the whole of last season.

But for being loyal, the club CEO Ivan Kakembo asked me to pay the club money for my send-off,” he said before breaking down.
Magumba, who quit the national team in 2006, also revealed plans to have another farewell in his home district of Iganga while his former captain at the club and now Fufa CEO Edgar Watson offered to pay for his first coaching badges.