There is a common trend nowadays in the Uganda Premier League that players wander from one club to another but at least no one has achieved Erisa Keith Sekisambu’s feat of playing for all the big five clubs in the country.
The Big five includes record champions SC Villa, KCCA FC, Vipers SC, Express FC and URA FC. Back in the day, the epitome of local football rotated around VEK (Villa, Express FC and KCCA FC) but with the emergence of URA FC and Vipers SC later on, the pool for the top sides widened to include the latter two who share seven league titles.
Sekisambu currently at KCCA FC holds the record to have featured for all the top sides in the league since making his debut on 23rd September 2011 against Police FC while at SC Villa. He also had a stint with Kenya’s Gor Mahia FC last season.
And the forward has had a decorated career winning two Uganda Premier League titles and three Uganda Cups.
The beauty about the three Uganda Cup winners’ medals for Sekisambu is that they came in three consecutive years at three different clubs.
- 2014- URA FC
- 2015 – SC Villa
- 2016 – Vipers SC
Let’s look at Sekisambu’s journey since 2011
He is a product of the now defunct Jogoo Young, which produced a number of players including Steven Bengo, Isaac Muleme, Emmanuel Okwi and Isaac Kirabira among others.
Ssekisambu joined Jogoo Young while still studying at Old Kampala SS and played there for about two seasons before getting promoted to the senior team.
SC Villa | 2011 (First Stint)
SC Villa at the time was under the guidance of Serbian tactician Srdjan Zivojnov, who handed Sekisambu his debut against Police FC on 23rd September 2011. He scored his first goal for the Jogoos in the 4-0 win against Gulu United FC on 18th January 2012.
However, because he was not getting enough playing time, managing just ten appearances in the first round of the 2011/12 season, Sekisambu moved to rivals Express FC.
Express FC | 2012
Despite operating on a shoe-string budget that brought in largely novices, Sam Ssimbwa guided Express FC to their first league title after a dry spell of 16 years.
Sekisambu joined the Red Eagles in the second round. The team largely had young and talented players such as Julius Ogwang who was the club top scorer in the season with 8 goals, Willy Kavuma, Bonny Baingana, Yayo Lutimba, Salim Jamal Magoola and Bob Kasozi among others.
This was the first major title that Sekisambu won as a player. His debut came on 22nd February 2012 in the goalless draw against Water FC while his first goal was against Masaka LC FC on 29th May 2012, a game that Express FC won 1-0.
URA FC | 2012-2014
After losing the league title to Express FC, the tax collectors beefed up their squad in a bid to contend for the 2012/13 season.
Under the guidance of Alex Isabirye, URA FC decided to make a blend of experience and fresh legs. Ssekisambu and Lutimba who had helped Express FC to win the league were signed. These were joined by Erukana Nkugwa from SC Villa, Kipson Atuhaire from APR, Rwanda and goalkeeper Yasin Mugabi from Proline FC.
Owen Kasule returned from Vietnam while Derrick Walulya who was a free agent also joined URA FC.
At URA FC, Sekisambu won the Uganda Cup in 2014.
SC Villa | 2014-2015 (Second Stint)
When Ben Immanuel Misagga became SC Villa President, he made several changes and wanted to have a team that would compete for titles.
He, therefore, signed a number of players. Actually, at the start of the season, SC Villa announced 26 new signings in a press briefing held at Ivys Hotel in Wakaliga in Kampala.
Some of these included Nigerian Striker Victor Emenayo, Hassan Wasswa, Nicholas Ssebwato, Suleiman Majjanjalo, Henry Lopidia among others.
Sekisambu too arrived from URA FC, coming to SC Villa for his second stint. He was very influential as the Jogoos mounted a serious league title challenge against eventual winners Vipers SC.
SC Villa, however, settled for the Uganda Cup defeating KCCA FC 3-0 in the final. Sekisambu was named the Most Valuable Player.
His first game on return came against Soana FC while the first goal was against former employers, Express FC.
Vipers SC | 2015 -2018
After an impressive campaign at SC Villa, Vipers SC came calling and Sekisambu did not turn down the offer, joining the Venoms.
In his first season at Vipers SC, he helped the team to win their first ever Uganda Cup, defeating Onduparaka FC in the final at Nakivubo stadium.
He opened the scores in the final as Vipers SC won 3-1 thus ending the campaign with seven goals, same as Onduparaka’s Muhammad Shaban. Sekisambu for the second successive season was named the Most Valuable Player.
In the same season (2015/16), Ssekisambu had a big shout in the top scorer’s race, scoring 16 goals, two behind Robert Sentongo.
Vipers SC also won the 2017/18 Uganda Premier League title with Ssekisambu playing a crucial role, especially in the second round combining well with Dan Sserunkuma and Duncan Sseninde.
Gor Mahia FC | 2018-2019
In September 2018, Sekisambu moved to Kenya to join giants Gor Mahia FC but he only lasted one season. However, he left with a league winner’s medal.
KCCA FC | 2019-
Sekisambu was headed for his third stint at SC Villa with reports indicating he even had training sessions with the team at Villa Park before the start of the season.
However, when KCCA FC showed interest, he joined the Lugogo based side where he currently plays thus making him the only player to have featured for all the big teams.
At KCCA FC, Sekisambu has scored 4 goals in the league this season.
Asked about what the feat means to him, Sekisambu is delighted that he has played for all the big teams and attributes this to hard work and being able to perform at all those clubs.
“It’s a pleasure to have played for all the current big teams in Uganda. But this has been achieved through hard work, determination and discipline which has enabled me to perform wherever I have been,” he said.
“You cannot play at all those clubs without performing well. If you do well here another club comes calling. Thus you must be able to adjust and fit in the new team you have joined.”