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Cranes’ barefooted legend Kasigwa dead
Kasigwa (2nd R) was recognized by Fufa. PHOTO/COURTESY
What you need to know:
In 2017, during the Fufa Annual General Assembly held in Masindi, Kasigwa and Jimmy Muguwa (now deceased) were recognized by the federation with plaques and Shs1m each.
Former Uganda Cranes Baker Kasigwa is dead. He was 91. He died at his home in Kisalizi, Masindi district.
Kasigwa was part of the Cranes side at the 1962 Africa Cup of Nations in Ethiopia and established himself as a best right winger.
The highlight of Kasigwa’s football career was the England tour in August 1956, where the barefooted Cranes played 10 friendly games. It was the best thing to have happened to the life of any Cranes player at the time.
Kasigwa’s teammates on that England tour included Nafutali Musoke, Alfonse Temaligwe, Aloysius Kalibala, Sam Sebbowa, Gilbert Seruwagi, George Kamba, George Situma, Manase Owiny, William Anyua, Daniel Male Parma, Okot B’tek, Yekonia Odiya, Jimmy Sewava, Kefa Kiwanuka and Edward Semambo, among others. All of them have since died.
By 1963, Kasigwa was in the evening of his career and retired from the national team though he remained active in club football which took him to clubs like Railways, Mutungo, Nsambya and Bitumastic. But perhaps of them all, Pepsi-Cola was the club he paved to fame and climaxing with the 1961 Luwangula Cup (now Uganda Cup) title at Wankulukuku stadium after defeating Kako E.A Flats.
After his playing career, Kasigwa got a job at Lint Marketing Board and turned to coaching; taking over Lint FC. He also coached Pepsi-Cola FC and Uganda Commercial Bank (UCB FC).
In early 1970s, Kasigwa fell out with his bosses at UCB and quit coaching. He returned to his native village in Masindi where he has stayed all these years.
In 2017, during the Fufa Annual General Assembly, Kasigwa and Jimmy Muguwa (now deceased) were recognized by the federation with plaques and Shs1m each.
