Musika, Tabula, Kirumira: Pocket-sized but versatile

By Robert Mugagga

Swift Left Backs. There are many different attributes which make soccer players succeed. For defenders, strength and height are pivotal in making them achieve their goals. Height is equally crucial since defenders have to deal with aerial balls in order to keep strikers at bay. In Ugandan football, three left backs; Wilberforce Musika, Richard Kirumira and Abubaker Tabula earned their status despite being short and small. The pocket-sized defenders did wonders; but how? Read on.

WILBER MUSIKA

His former coach at KCCA FC, the only major club he played for in Uganda, says he had a body of a leopard and a spirit of a lion. Legendary Tom Lwanga, who once taught the game’s ABC to Musika at KCCA revealed to Sunday Monitor that despite his small size Musika was a very strong left back that could not allow bigger and taller strikers to go past him.
“Musika’s size could be compared to that of a leopard which is tougher than the lion which is bigger than it in size. On the other hand I compare Musika to a lion, for having been fearless. He would confront and beat off any striker that came his way,” said Lwanga. According to Lwanga, Musika could unleash powerful shots not expected of a player his size. “He was one of the most amazing left backs I have ever managed. He was disciplined, too, both on and off the pitch,” he adds.

Jackson Mayanja, who played with Musika at KCCA after being part of the crew that scouted him from Kololo SSS, sings praises of the diminutive Musika as one of the best left backs he has seen on Ugandan soil. “I brought him to KCCA and good enough even coach Polly Ouma had already been told about him. I personally gave Musika the football boot he used in his first league match for the club,” recalls the man nicknamed Mia.

Mayanja describes Musika as having been a firm player on the ground. Mayanja says Musika was unfortunate to have arrived on the scene at the time when there was a lot of competition at his position hence the reason why he got a belated senior debut cap. One of Musika’s teammates in the Cranes’ set up was Tabula, who was much younger and he says that he admired him while at school and wished to play like him. “I liked his calm style of play. While at school I used to go and watch KCCA matches and really liked Musika’s style.” Tabula says it was Musika that offered him guidance and helped him to settle when he was summoned to the National U-23 Kobs team that was coached by Leo Adraa and Jimmy Muguwa.

Musika was a product of Kololo SSS, which groomed and promoted several stars like John Latigo, Mayanja, Abbey Nasur, Rashid Mudin, Fred Musisi Kiyingi, Dan Lutalo, Morley Byekwaso and Angelo Lonyesi among others in the 1980s and 1990s. Musika used to stay at Naguru with his family and it didn’t surprise many when he joined KCCA which trained at Lugogo - a stone’s throw away from home.
Earlier, he played for Nakawa-based First Division side Avis FC, coached by Lonyensi and boasted of talented youngsters like Ronald Kasigazi, Robert Ngumire, Benard Okong, Fred Okello and Robert ‘Shaka’ Okello among others.

Musika was part of the young revolution that joined KCCA including; Lawrence Musoke, Hussein Ssali, Haruna Mawa and Morley Byekwaso. They joined proven talents Mayanja, Ibrahim Sekagya, Wilson Gayi and Baker Mbowa among others to turn the ‘Kasasiro Boys’ into a formidable side.
In the national team, Musika was first summoned to the Kobs side that featured in the 1999 All-Africa Games in South Africa. In the senior side, he was unfortunate to be part of the side that heavily lost 6-0 to Tunisia in 2000 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) Qualifier. That infamous side comprised of Fred Kajoba, Phillip Obwiny, George Ssimwogerere, Joseph Mutyaba, Sekagya and Kefa Kisala.

MUSIKA FACTFILE
(ACHIEVEMENTS)
One of the best footballers to have emerged from the ‘sporting’ Kololo SSS’.

Played for Nakawa-based Avis FC in First Division.

Played for KCCA from 1997 to 2000.

Won the league with KCCA in 1997

Played for Kobs at the 1999 All African Games in South Africa.

Musika and Tabula made the left side of Uganda Kobs very potent.

Part of the Cranes team that obliterated Rwanda 5-0 in 1998.

RICHARD KIRUMIRA

Kirumira earns the plaudits for having played at the left-back role for so long without a worthy challenger. During the 1990s, he was the undisputed king at No.3 for Cranes and Express FC. Arguably one of the most complete left backs, Uganda has ever produced. At Express, he was the assistant to skipper Ssimwogerere. Surprisingly it was him that fellow players paid more respect and his decisions were never challenged.

Kirumira enjoyed a long fruitful spell at Express, from 1992 to 2001, and was part of the golden generation alongside Robert Aloro, Willy Kyambadde, Kisala, Ssimwogerere James Kirinya, Joseph Mutyaba, Simon Kyobe, Obwiny, Gerald Tenywa, Chris Kasasa and Davis Odowa. He was instrumental in the Express side that won the 1993 Ugandan topflight league – the first in 18 years and later reclaimed it in 1995.

Kirumira was such a fantastic left back that was always trusted by fellow players. Kisala says he would have never played on the left back had something not happened to Kirumira. “On joining Express, I was always fielded on the left wing though I had told coach David Otti that my right position was on the left back. Otti told me straightaway that the club had someone unchallengeable in that position,” relives Kisala.
In 1995 during the Caf Champions League Second Round clash against Cameroon’s Angle Nkogsamba, Kirumira couldn’t play as he had been suspended during an earlier encounter. That is when coach Otti handed Kisala a stint at the left back position.

“This was the only time I played in that position when Kirumira was still around,” says Kisala. Kirumira was one player that participated in all Express’ victories of the 1990s. From the league victories of 1993, 1995, and 1996 plus the Uganda Cup of 1991, 1992, 1994, 1995 and 1997, Kirumira had a say in them all. In the finals of the 1991and 1992 Uganda Cup, Express defeated Nile FC on both occasions with Kirumira playing architect’s role. He later left for United States of America. He often comes back home for holidays. Even after retiring, Kirumira still loves Express.

On a brief visit on August 2016, Kirumira visited the Express camp and offer the players some pep talk. “As any other team alumnus, I feel great when I am at Muteesa II Stadium, Wankululkuku. I urge you players to be patient even when you’re not paid in time. Just focus on producing results,” Kirumira said back then. Kirumira recalls a time when Express didn’t pay a coin for nine months but the players never abandoned ship.

KIRUMIRA FACTFILE
(ACHIEVEMENTS)
Played for Express from 1991 to 2001.

Played for Express consistently on left back without being challenged.

Won the Ugandan league with Express in 1993 - the first time in 18 years.

Won two other league titles with Express in 1995 and 1996.

Won the Uganda Cup with Express in 1992, 1994, 1995 and 1997.

Reached semifinals of Caf Champions League with Express in 1995. But theu lost to South Africa’s Orlando Pirates.

Won the regional Hedex Cup with Express in 1995.

Showed leadership qualities as Express FC’s assistant captain.

Played for Cranes during the 1990s.

ABUBAKER TABULA

A product of Kayofa Academy of Kawempe that nourished so many upcoming footballers in the area including Sekagya, Richard Kyambadde, Lawrence Musoke and goalie Hussein Ssali to mention a few. Tabula started playing early on at school from Kawempe Muslim Primary School, Kawempe Muslim Secondary School and later at Naggalama Islamic school. At Naggalama, he formed a very strong school team that was the envy of many with players like Sekagya, Kyambadde and Ssali.

From school, he joined Simba FC in 1998 whose coach then was Paul Hasule. Tabula joined Simba as a striker but after a few days of training Hasule turned him into a left winger who would at times be switched to the left back.
“Hasule would bring me in as a substitute in the last 10 or 15 minutes. The club had so many experienced players like Enock Kyembe such that I couldn’t be given more playing time,” Tabula told Sunday Monitor earlier this week.
Tabula hardly spent a season at Simba and before SC Villa came calling. The club president Hajj Omar Mandela and Tushar Ruparelia decided to buy him when they watched him in action during a league match between SC Villa and Simba. Interestingly the season he went to SC Villa coincided with the arrival of Paul Hasule as new coach at Villa Park.

At SC Villa, Tabula established himself at both left back and on the left wing such that when Edgar Watson retired, the coach appointed him captain. While at SC Villa, he won the league in 1999, 2000, 2001 and 2002. In 2000, he went for trials at Italian club Parma together with Sekagya and Michael Ssebalinga.
“Parma then had players like goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon. We unfortunately arrived there when the club had already signed other players from Nigeria and Ghana and this is how we missed out,” mourns Tabula.

“They returned to Uganda and went for more trials in Argentina’s Arsenal de Sarandí. They both passed the trial but unlike Sekagya, who was released by KCCA, Tabula’s club SC Villa refused to release him due to the ‘little’ transfer fees the Argentines were offering.
“Being denied a chance to play in Argentina was really a big disappointment that almost tore my life apart,” recalls Tabula.
This was probably the reason Tabula crossed over to Villa rivals KCCA in 2001 when his contract expired as he was evidently still bitter with those that poured cold water on his professional ambitions. From 2005 to 2007, he featured for Rwandan army side APR. The club officials spotted Tabula during the 2003 Cecafa Senior Challenge Cup when he captained Cranes to victory against Rwanda in the final in Khartoum, Sudan.

At APR, Tabula won two league titles and was voted the country’s best league player during the 2005 season. Fans in Kigali gave Tabula the ‘Roberto Carlos’ moniker after the Brazilian star because of the skillful way he used to cross the ball while attacking from the left wing. While at APR, a technical member of the Rwanda’s Amavubi Wasps from Sweden approached Tabula and whispered something. “With this type of football your talent is being wasted in Africa, you deserve to play in Europe,” the Swede told Tabula.

It was this same gentleman that connected Tabula to a Swede club, GIF Sundsvall which he joined in 2007. He stayed there for one season and returned to Uganda. Tabula blames the skiing outings he attended as a club routine for inflicting him with a serious injury that could not allow him continue playing for his new club. On returning to Uganda he rested for some time and thereafter joined Proline, Bright Stars and Kiira Young.

On the international scene, Tabula was a member of the Kobs team that qualified and participated in the 1999 All Africa Games in South Africa - going all the way to the knockout stage before being eliminated by Cameroon. His Cranes debut was a World Cup qualifier away to Malawi which Uganda won.
Tabula was also included in the Cranes team that played Angola and Niger in other qualifiers winning with 3-1 and 1-0 margins respectively. In the match against Niger, he executed the corner through which captain Sekagya scored Uganda’s solitary winning goal.

But there are two particular Uganda Cranes matches that Tabula would like to forget like yesterday. During the 2000 Afcon qualifier against Senegal, Uganda was given a first half penalty which Tabula hit on the woodwork in a match that ended 1-1. In another match Uganda played neighbours Rwanda in a 2004 Afcon qualifier. During the match Tabula sparked off a tug of war with Rwanda goalkeeper Rwandan goalkeeper Mohammed Moshi after trying to remove what Ugandans believed to be Juju (fetish) from the visitor’s goal in 2003. Jimmy Gatete would later score for Rwanda who went on to play at Afcon 2004.

Tabula expresses no regret about the incident. “Seeing the way we were playing and missing so many scoring chances that strange package in the Rwanda goal had to be checked. I think I did the right thing and that is the reason I was supported by Cranes teammates, officials and even fans that graced the match at Namboole,” recalls Tabula.

TABULA FACTFILE
(ACHIEVEMENTS)
Played for seven clubs throughout his career; SC Villa, KCCA, APR (Rwanda), Sundasvall (Sweden), Proline, Bright Stars and Kiira Young.

Won the league with SC Villa in 1998, 1999 and 2000.

Won the Uganda Cup with SC Villa in 1998 and 2000.

Won Uganda cup with KCCA in 2004.

Won the league with APR of Rwanda in 2005, 2006 and 2007.

Voted league MVP in Rwanda in 2005

Went for trials at Italian side Parma and at Arsenal de Sarandi of Argentina.

Played for the U-23 Kobs team in the All-Africa Games in South Africa.

Captained Cranes to victory in the 2005 Cecafa Championship. Uganda beat Rwanda 1-0 in the final hosted in Ethiopia.

What others say; by Innocent Ndawula

Jackson Mayanja (former Cranes star)
Tabula was a bit more stronger with speed and gas to burn. Richard Kirumira’s strength was being a good crosser of the ball. But Wilberforce Musika was more technically gifted. But because Tabula played professional football, he has an edge. Musika, though, was intelligent and always hard to beat.

Collin Subika (soccer analyst)
I would pick Kirumira ahead of them all because he was defensively sound. Musika was more of a Roberto Carlos with runs upfront. Tabula was more of an attacker which is why he played No.11 mostly besides at Villa. When Nestroy Kizito emerged, he was pushed upfront in the Uganda Cranes set up.

Hassan Badru Zziwa (celebrated journo)
Tabula was aggressive and skillful and a scorer of goals especially from dead balls. Musika was skillful and more a winger defender. He was solid defensively this might be explained because of his diminutive size. Kirumira was solid, skillful and aggressive. He was a goal scorer but also temperamental as he got many reds.

Sam Ssimbwa (former Cranes star)
Musika, despite his small size, surprised many with his game intelligence and management. Tabula was stronger than all of them and he was a quicker learner. It was hard to beat him via a through pass. Musika and Kirumira wereso comfortable on the ball and better going forward but Tabula had a ferocious shot.