As they say a prophet will never be appreciated in his own land, Daniel ‘Mzee’ Sserunkuma has proved it right after he was voted the footballer of the year 2011/2012 in the Kenya premier league.
Sserunkuma beat KCB’s Mungai Kiongera and AFC Leopards Mike Baraza to the prestigious award on the same day Cranes coach Bobby Williamson ruled him out of the 20-man squad for the Cecafa tournament.
Sserunkuma helped his club win the KPL cup on penalties when the edged out SofaPaka on Tuesday . Earlier Gor Mahia had lost the league to Tusker united on the final day.
He was also the second top scorer in the league with 17goals behind SofaPaka’s John Baraza. Sserunkuma is one of the few footballers in the country that has gone through all the stages and he is a product of Kampala Kids League.
John Baraza beat Sserunkuma to the Fair Play Player of the year award. With all that success, he was considered not good enough to put on a Cranes Jersey in the upcoming Cecafa senior challenge cup.
Former Utoda striker Hussein Xzinda turning out for Karuturi Sports came second behind Muhoroni Youth’s Abby Natty Kurunmi as the best new players in the league. Sserunkuma’s teammate and fellow Ugandan Ivan Anguyo was voted the best defender.
2012 TUSKER PREMIER LEAGUE FOOTBALLER OF THE YEAR AWARDS
BEST PLAYER
1. Dan Sserunkuma – Gor Mahia
2. Mungai Kiongera-KCB
3. Mike Baraza – AFC Leopards
GOLDEN BOOT AWARD
1. John Baraza-Sofapaka
2. Dan Sserunkuma-Gor Mahia
COACH OF THE YEAR
1. Zdravko Logarusic – Gor Mahia
2. John Kamau – Thika United
3. Stanley Okumbi – Mathare United.
BEST MIDFIELDER
1. Anthony Akumu – Gor Mahia
2. Francis Kahata- Thika United
3. Paul Kiongera- KCB
BEST DEFENDERS
1. Ivan Anguyo – Gor Mahia
2. Eugene Asike- Sofapaka
3. Joackins Atudo – Tusker
BEST GOALKEEPERS
1. Boniface Oluoch- Tusker
2. Jerim Onyango- Gor Mahia
3. Ben Roberts Mandela – Western Stima
TEAM MANAGER OF THE YEAR
1. Josephat Okal-KCB
2. George Maina-Tusker
3. Wiliam Muluia-Mathare United
FAIR PLAY TEAM OF THE YEAR
1. Rangers FC
2. Ulinzi Stars
3. Muhoroni Youth
FAIR PLAY PLAYER OF THE YEAR
1. Winner – John Baraza-Sofapaka
2. Dan Sserunkuma -Gor Mahia
3. Obadiah Ndege -Tusker
NEW PLAYER OF THE YEAR
1. Abby Natty Kurunmi (Muhoroni Youth)
2. Hussein Zzinda (Karuturi Sports)
3 Position Edmund Murai (Oserian)
REFEREE OF THE YEAR
1. Nasur Ndoka
