Mucureezi strikes with a ring, shows Kajoba what’s to come

The Mucureezis. Paul and Esther became one at St Francis Chapel on Saturday. PHOTO | COURTESY

By ANDREW MWANGUHYA
Vipers have laid out the marker. They will cut a different preposition in the upcoming season, for sure.
From administration, down through the dugout to the playing field, some sense of fresh air is sifting through. So fresh it is that forward Paul Mucureezi gave the country one of those revitalising moments when a footballer ties the knot.
Mucureezi followed up on his February 26 on-pitch proposal to sweetheart Esther Swabale by walking her down the aisles of St Francis Chapel, Makerere University, on Saturday.
The St Mary’s pitch where Mucureezi proposed from after a 5-0 humbling of Maroons has been a beehive of pre-season changes with Steven Mulindwa now going by general manager title to conform his role at the club, while former Fufa chief executive Charles Masembe has the jury on him regarding his new sporting director role.
Peter Njuba, the club’s first known chief executive, will hope he actually carries out his role.
At least for now, head coach Fred Kajoba, who has added almost his entire former backroom staff from Bright Stars, is happy with proceedings and believes they are ready to confront the new season challenges.
“So far so good,” he told Daily Monitor, “Moving well forward.
“My target is to defend the league first, then others will follow.”
While that is the primary target, Kajoba knows too well that what proprietor Lawrence Mulindwa craves the most is a decent shift on the continent, the reason for these revamps.
“Yes, of course, I know but football is football. We have to do our best and see. You know football!”
Looking past top hitmen
But how, then, does he let go of their top scorer in the just ended season, Fahad Bayo, who joined Israeli side Ashdod, without directly replacing him, and fails to recall last season’s loanee and league’s top scorer at Maroons, Steven Mukwala?
Mukwala led the league scorers charts with 13 goals, one more than Bayo.
With Vipers preparing to defend the league, compete in the Uganda Cup and chase for an impressive show in the Caf Champions League, you would think Kajoba would be interested in more and wider options. Yet he is relaxed about the situation.
“We have Kyabatala (Umar), Ndugwa (Abraham) and Sserunkuma (Daniel),” he assured this newspaper
“They will score. The good thing is we have the players to deliver the ball forward to the strikers,” he added.
New recruits Ibrahim Orit from Mbarara City, experienced David Bagoole from Busoga United and Jamil Kalisa, an arrival from Bright Stars, plus trusted lieutenant and newly-wed Paul Mucureezi are some of the ball drivers Kajoba is counting on.
On why he didn’t recall Mukwala from loan at Maroons, never mind he was full of praises for the young striker at the end of the season, Kajoba had this to say.
“I also have Shaban (Muhammad),” he explained.
Shaban has not played in over a year since returning from Morocco last year. The former Onduparaka striker is recovering from a knee surgery.
“I thought through the Mukwala situation again and concluded that once Shaban is fit, he is a better option.”
Shaban is back doing light training.
Vipers have also been buoyed by the arrival of former Express engine Disan Galiwango, who together with Geoffrey Wasswa have the Venoms issues from the back sorted.
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