Unlike other regions in Africa, the East has produced less soccer players that have successfully plied their trade beyond the continent and even within. This is so despite the enormous talent in the region. Nevertheless, some have gone on to make the region proud as Kawowo Sports’ Ismael Kiyonga unveils the top exports. Only those born in the region and at least once played for a registered club in East Africa are considered ruling out the likes of Joel Kitamirike, Gael Bigirimana and Savio Nsereko among others.
McDonald Mariga (Kenya, Parma – on loan from Inter Milan):
Born on April 4, 1987, Mariga is regarded as East Africa’s greatest football export at the moment. The defensive midfielder who is on loan at Serie A club Parma from giants Inter Milan made history as the first player from the region to feature in the UEFA Champions League on March 16, 2010 when he made a substitute appearance for Inter Milan against Chelsea.
Mariga started his career at Ulinzi Stars before moving first to Tusker FC and then to Pipeline FC in Kenya.
In 2005, he moved to Sweden and signed for third Division side Enköpings SK and later signed for Helsingborg IF before the 2006 season.
From Sweden, he signed for Serie A’s Parma in 2007 and made 62 appearances for the club between 2006-2010 scoring 6 goals.
He made the biggest move ever by any East African player in 2010 when signed for giants Inter Milan where he won the Italian Serie A (2010), UEFA Champions League (2009/10), Coppa Italia (2010), Supercoppa Italia (2011) and Club World Cup 2010.
He also played in Spanish La liga for Real Sociedad though on loan from Inter in the 2011/12 campaign.
Magid Musisi (Uganda):
Nicknamed ‘Mike Tyson’ and ‘Magic’ for his power and skill respectively, Magid Musisi remains the greatest football export in Uganda’s history. In 1992 even before the game was as commercialized as it is today, the former Pepsi FC striker was signed by France giants Stade Rennes for a record fee of $ 180,000 from SC Villa becoming the first Ugandan soccer ace to join paid ranks in Europe. After five years in France, he joined Bursaspor of Turkey in 1997 for $ 1million and later featured for Dadenelspor still in Turkey.
Victor Wanyama (Kenya, Southampton – England):
At just 22, Wanyama is set to become one if not the best football export in the region. The defensive midfielder recently crossed to English Premier League side Southampton from Celtic FC for £12.5 million making him the most expensive player to be sold by a Scottish club, surpassing the £9.5 million Russian club Spartak Moscow paid for Aiden McGeady in 2010.
The former JMJ Youth Academy, Nairobi City Stars and AFC Leopards player holds the record as the first Kenyan player to sign for a premiership club.
Besides, the Harambee Stars skipper is the first ever East African player to score in the UEFA Champions League when he scored the first goal in Celtic’s historic 2–1 win over Barcelona on 7 November 2012. He still holds the record as the only player from the region to net in the competition.
Denis Oliech (Kenya, AC Ajaccio – France):
Oliech is regarded as the best ever striker in Kenya and among the elites in the region. The AC Ajaccio striker has been consistent since his days at Mathare United. He joined professional ranks ten years ago when he signed for Qatar’s Al Arabi FC. While in Qatar, the country’s FA persuaded him with large chunks of money to change nationality and play for the national team but he refused.
In 2005, Oliech signed a four-year contract with the French Ligue 1 team FC Nantes and started playing for them at the start of 2006 but was signed on loan by Auxerre in 2007. In January Auxerre signed him from Nantes on a permanent deal.
Oliech is among the record holders for scoring the fastest hat trick in Ligue 1 when on September 25, 2011, he netted three goals for Auxerre in a 4–1 win over Sochaux in a space of 16 minutes.
He currently plies his trade at AC Ajaccio which he joined early this year and went on to score on his debut against Evian Thonon Gaillard in a 1-1 draw.
Ibrahim Ssekagya (Uganda, New York Red Bulls – USA):
The ex-Cranes Captain recently signed with Major League Soccer (MLS) club New York Red Bulls to become only the second Ugandan player to sign for a club in MLS after striker Brian Umony (then Portland Timbers).
Ssekagya who started his career at State House FC and later KCC FC will forever be remembered as one of Uganda’s best ever exports. Professionally, he started in Argentina with Atlético de Rafaela in the Primera B Nacional. In 2002, he moved to Ferro Carril Oeste in the Primera B Metropolitana, subsequently helping the team to win the league and secure promotion to the Primera B Nacional. In 2005, he was signed by Arsenal de Sarandí of the Argentine Primera División, where he spent two seasons.
In June 2007, Sekagya signed a three-year contract with Red Bull Salzburg, the then current champions of the Austrian Bundesliga. He made his Bundesliga debut on 11 July 2007 in Salzburg’s 4–1 win against SC Rheindorf Altach and scored his first league goal on 22 July 2007 to secure Salzburg a 2–2 away draw at FK Austria Wien.
He quickly established himself as a regular with the club and finished his first season with 34 Bundesliga appearances to his name, scoring three goals in the league. In his six seasons at the club Sekagya appeared in 165 league matches and scored 6 goals. During this time he helped the club capture three Austrian Football Bundesliga titles and one Austrian Cup.
Nestroy Kizito (Uganda, SC Victoria University):
Currently plying his trade with local side SC Victoria University, Nestroy Kizito is one of the best ever left full backs the region has produced. The former SC Villa defender signed for Serbian club FK Srem in 2004 where he spent just a year before he crossed to Vojvodina FC in January 2005.
Kizito became popular when he scored a winning goal against big rivals Red Star Belgrade in the 2005–06 season at home ground. That goal helped to break off the ten-year-long bad tradition without win over Crvena zvezda.
Since then, he became fundamental in the team defense and one of the most influential players of the squad. He was twice voted as the Vojvodina Supporters Player of the Year in the 2005–06 and 2008–09 seasons. However, in January 2010, there was a misunderstanding between Kizito and the club management, allegedly, due to player’s refusal to extend contract, and as a result, he was left out of the first team squad.
On 2 July 2010, Kizito joined one of Europe and Serbia’s biggest clubs FK Partizan but returned home in 2012.
David Obua (Uganda):
Currently without a club, David Obua is one of the house hold names when it comes to soccer players in the region. He started his career at Police FC before crossing to Express FC and became the first Ugandan player to ply his trade in Mauritius when he signed for AS Port Louis in 2002.
In 2005, he joined Kaiser Chiefs of South Africa where he impressed during his time in South Africa, winning the championship and South African Player of the Year in season 2006–07.
In 2008, he joined paid ranks in Europe when he signed for Scottish Premier League side Hearts of Midlothian where he spent four years making 91 appearances and scored 6 goals. Nicknamed ‘King David’ by sections of Ugandan fans, there is no denying him a slot on the list.
Jackson Mayanja (Uganda):
Though he never played beyond the continent, Mayanja joins the list after his stint with top clubs in Egypt and Tunisia. The former KCC FC Captain made his name at El Masry (Egypt) and was nicknamed ‘Mia Mia (100%)’ by the fans.
Charles Livingstone Mbabazi (Uganda):
The former KCC FC midfielder is regarded as one of the most elegant Ugandan exports. He is held in high esteem at Ireland’s St. Patrick Athletic where he made 86 appearances before he was forced to retire from the beautiful game due to a heart problem.
Others include Kenya goalie Arnold Origi (Sweden), Tanzania duo of Thomas Uliwengu and Mbwana Samatta (TP Mazembe, DRC) and Tonny Mawejje (IBV, Iceland) among others.
