Okello and Kizza rally to support Coach Mutebi with charity match
His influence has stretched across generations, with many of the country's top players crediting him for helping them become successful professionals.
Former KCCA FC coach Mike Hillary Mutebi. File photo
Charity Friendly Match
Second Leg
Friends of Mustafa Kizza v Friends of Victor and Mariga
Thursday, 7pm
At Philip Omondi Lugogo
Former KCCA FC coach Mike Hillary Mutebi has spent more than 30 years shaping the careers of some of Uganda's finest footballers.
His influence has stretched across generations, with many of the country's top players crediting him for helping them become successful professionals.
But earlier this year in March, Mutebi's health became a major concern after he disappeared for nearly two days from his Church group members in Kisubi, Wakiso district where they had gone for prayers.
He was later found abandoned in a nearby banana plantation in Kisubi. The incident shocked the football community, with players, coaches and fans expressing concern for one of Uganda's most respected football teachers.
Medical examinations later confirmed that the veteran coach is living with dementia, and doctors also advised that he requires specialised treatment and constant care.
It is from this background that Kizza and Okello decided they could not stand by without helping Mutebi who they describe as their mentor and father figure.
The two, whose football careers were nurtured by Mutebi right from secondary school days to KCCA FC senior team, have organised a charity football match on Thursday at the Philip Omondi Stadium Lugogo to raise funds to support his treatment.
“Coach Mike is more than a coach to me. He is my mentor and guardian,” said Okello. “When I heard that he was sick, I felt I had to do something special for him. This charity match is one of the ways I can show my appreciation.”
Kizza echoed similar feelings. “Coach Mike was like a father to many of us. He groomed us into the players we became, and this is our opportunity to give back to him,” he said.
Thursday's match will pit Friends of Kizza against Friends of Victor Wanyama and McDonald Mariga Wanyama. The Wanyama brothers are among East Africa's greatest football exports.
Victor enjoyed successful spells with UK’s Tottenham Hotspur, Celtic and Southampton, while Mariga made history as the first East African to win the UEFA Champions League with Inter Milan and also featured for Parma (Italy) and Real Sociedad in Spain.
More about Mutebi, he began his coaching journey at Miracle FC in 1993 before going on to manage Simba FC, KCC FC (KCCA), Maroons FC, SC Villa, KCCA and Rwanda's AS Kigali.
Throughout his career, he built a reputation as a disciplined coach who believed in developing young talent and always emphasised professionalism.
The most successful period of Mutebi's coaching career came during his second spell at KCCA between 2015 and 2020. During that time, he transformed Lugogo into one of the toughest grounds for visiting teams.
His youthful side won three Uganda Premier League (UPL) titles, two Uganda Cups and the CECAFA Kagame Cup. He also guided KCCA to the group stages of the CAF Champions League in 2018, making them the first Ugandan club to achieve the feat under the current competition format.