Kakeeto, a pillar of Ugandan youth football dies

By Samson Opus

One of the pillars of Ugandan youth football Sheikh Jamil Kakeeto has died. He passed away at Mulago National Referral Hospital on Wednesday.

Kakeeto was laid to rest at his home village in Kyasanku, Mpigi district Thursday.

Kakeeto, 59, was the brain behind the Mukono-based Nagalama Islamic School as a soccer force for many years.

He was also part of a team of officials who promoted youth football in Mukono region. Kakeeto was also behind the rise of the COPA Coca-Cola Schools Football Championship over the last 23 years.

He groomed some of Uganda’s finest talent in the game including former Uganda Cranes captain Ibrahim Sekagya. Kakeeto’s love for football did not only stop at school level.

He was also deeply involved in vibrancy of Kampala City Council (KCC) Football Club in the 1990s.

By the time of his death, Kakeeto was the proprietor of Busunjo College School. He helped the school to compete on national level in a few years.

Ahmed Hussein, a spokesman for local football governing body FUFA, described Kakeeto’s death as a great loss for the game.

“He has been a great person who has had a hand in identifying and nurturing talent,” said Hussein.