Africa-Press – Uganda. The lights dimmed as Fred Kajoba Kisitu breathed his last in Tanzania, where he has been a coach at top-flight club – Ihefu FC, on Monday.
A postmortem report is not readily available yet, but those close to the deceased, including coach Matia Lule – who worked with him in Tanzania – attributed Kajoba’s passing to heart and diabetic complications.
The sad news sent shockwaves throughout the footballing fraternity and those closest to the former Uganda Cranes goalkeeper.
“Dad retired from this world and went to be with Mother Mary,” his son, Paul Kigozi Trevor, mourned, “My heart is broken in ways I cannot begin to express. I feel empty, lost and alone.”
Of his faith
But even as he breathed his last, the immediate aftermath showed one thing. Kajoba, who was 55 years old, had lit too many candles for his love lights to completely go off.
He was more than a footballer. More than a coach. He was that one person who truly valued friendship.
Just about anyone who developed a bond with Kajoba had an alias – often coined by the man himself – the two used as a mode of interaction.
In his tribute to Kajoba, Uganda’s most successful footballer, Denis Onyango, signed off by referring to the former simply as Mukatuliki – emphasising the deceased’s unshakable belief in his Catholic faith.
In case you had any doubts about his faith, a big rosary around Kajoba’s neck always reminded you.
He also hardly missed church service, including during Covid when he was apprehended for leaving the Cranes camp without permission to go for prayers. He later hit back that he didn’t need permission to pray.
Perfect gentleman
When he made a phone call to his close friend, the veteran journalist Hassan Badru Zziwa, Kajoba always reminded him that he was the “historic coach” for his role in Uganda ending a near-four-decade absence from Afcon finals tournament in 2016.
Whenever this writer also met or called Kajoba, the coach’s opening words would be: “The man! How are you, my man…? The man!”
To another colleague, Ismael Kiyonga, they called each other “My number one,” meaning number one goalkeeping coach in Africa.
Kajoba was known to invite friends to his country home in Kiwawu, along Mityana Road, to share a meal and tell stories. He was a brilliant storyteller, too.
But it will have been the bond Kajoba, who served as Uganda Cranes goalkeeping coach for over 15 years, had with his goalkeepers that stood out as shared by Onyango.
Calling Kajoba a “fatherly figure, brother, friend and patriotic Ugandan,” Onyango was “pained by his death because he was a committed member of the beautiful game (football), who demonstrated zeal, determination, and dedication to building/nurturing goalkeepers.
“He (Kajoba) was a perfect gentleman and I’ll never forget how important this man was to me during my playing time with the Uganda Cranes.
“His departure will leave a vacuum in the goalkeeping department. We will sorely miss him.”
Onyango signed off: “I commiserate with his family, colleagues, and the football World in Uganda over this painful loss. Till we meet again, Rest in peace, Mukatuliki.”
On his part, Badru Zziwa – one of the most respected journalists and historians of Ugandan football, Kajoba was both a great goalkeeper and very good person.
“Before he joined Coffee from Pepsi, and in his early days in Buganda clan football, he was a very good, young goalkeeper,” Zziwa told .
“He was so good that when he arrived at Coffee, established stars like Patrick Kiho and Robert Kiwanuka were let go to accommodate this youngster. Only Fred Kajoba and Paulo Ssentogo remained.
Friendly, disciplined, focused
“And at a very early age, he was even handed the captain’s armband, which was worn by Richard Mugalu at the time Kajoba arrived.”
Zziwa also highlights Kajoba’s discipline and focus on and off the pitch. “He received only one red card in his entire career. It was I think in 1991/2 in a league game against UCB for a foul on Bashir Adam.
“He was very disciplined and friendly. He was also a farmer and very hardworking.
“After Afcon 2017 and 2019, he told me he invested all his money from the two tournaments in his farm in Kiwawu, neighbouring my own home,” Zziwa further shared.
Zziwa also narrated a story of how Alex Kiseggo, the Coffee FC chairman, paid Kajoba Shs1m sign-on fee, which “was a lot of money at the time.”
For those that have crossed paths with Kajoba, he never held grudges. For example, if you said or wrote something inaccurate, unfair or that he didn’t agree with, he would get in touch and set the record straight.
Generous
One of Kajoba’s childhood friends for over three decades, Ruben Luyombo, also shared how rich the deceased was in humility and generosity.
“When you started playing for Coffee,” Luyombo wrote, “you were staying in Coffee houses just opposite our school. You could watch our school training and you gave me my first boots in S.2.
“Wagamba nina engato naye amannyo ga side emu emabega gavako, naye eyinza okuyamba (you told me that you had a boos but studs fell off one side of the rear, but it could help). Indeed it came in handy yamponya akagere (it saved me from playing barefooted).
As a player, Kajoba joined Coffee from Pepsi in 1988 and captained the side from 1990 to 1995. He also played for Simba from 1996 to 2000. Kajoba also played for Uganda Cranes from 1991 to 1999.
As coach, he won the 2011 Uganda Cup with Simba and the 2020 Uganda Premier League title with Vipers.
He also coached Bright Stars among other clubs. Kajiba will be laid to rest at his country home in Kiwawu on Sunday.
Kajoba at a glance
Name: Fred Kajoba Kisitu
Age: 55
Playing career
Joined Coffee from Pepsi in 1988
Captained Coffee side from 1990 to 1995
Played for Simba from 1996 to 2000
Played for Uganda Cranes from 1991 to 1999
Coaching career
Uganda Cranes goalkeeping coach for over 15 years
Won the 2011 Uganda Cup with Simba as head coach
Led Vipers SC to the 2020 Uganda Premier League title
Coached Bright Stars
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