Uganda Cricket has made celebrating their legends a tradition and every quarter a legend is celebrated to make sure they are given their flowers while they are still living.
Last weekend, the fraternity came together to celebrate an enigma of a man whose contribution and generosity to the game has kept the game alive in Uganda.
Engineer William Kibuka-Musoke is a straight talker with a big heart for a game that has been very close to his heart, a close compatriot of Sam Walusimbi a man for whom old tales say they competed for the spotlight as youngsters.
Kibuka-Musoke is one of the founders of Tornado Cricket Club and the current patron of Tornado Bee Cricket Club. He has been so many things in cricket a former medium pacer and low-order hitting batsman for the national team, former manager of the national team and former chairman of Uganda Cricket.
However, like those celebrated before him such as Sam Walusimbi, Sam Ssewagude, William Kamanyi, and Pithy Ndiko, their contribution off the field is what most are remembered for.
William Kibuuka-Musoke used to drive his car and pick us from Ndejje SSS to come play cricket in Kampala. He made sure he sourced some equipment for us to play, the first ever cricket field we got in Ndejje SSS was through him. He did all of this without facilitation from the school or ICC money but his own resources. Therefore his sacrifice helped us fall in love with game and cricket in Ndejje is indebted to Kibuuka-Musoke.
Fred Lutaya – Board Member UCA and Ndejje SSS OB.
Kibuka-Musoke is a cricket father as his two sons, Jeremy Kibuuka-Musoke and Cyrus Kibuuka-Musoke, are both former national team players and play in Tornado Bee. He was instrumental in the development of cricket in Kibuli SSS, Ndejje SSS through the provision of cricket equipment for the new learners and also doing some training as well.
William Kibuuka-Musoke was part of the core of individuals who saw the return of cricket to Lugogo in the early 1990s. They used their resources and bare hands to build Lugogo Cricket Oval to what the current generation enjoys.
During his tenure as Team Manager of the national team in 2007, the men won the Division 3 tournament in Darwin, Australia to qualify for Division 2, a step that got them an increment in ICC funding and also a step closer to the 2011 50-Over Cricket World Cup. He also served as UCA chairman in 2007 and 1987.
The celebration attracted all generations of cricketers and started with a game between Kabuki XI and Williams XI. Kabuki XI won the game by 9 wickets, with players such as Nehal Bidodi, Mike Ndiko and Benjamin Musoke starring for Kabuki XI. Cyrus Kibuuka-Musoke (51) stroked a half-century but it was in vain for William XI.
William Kibuuka-Musoke was the eighth legend to be celebrated by Kisementi Jazz group. The past legends to be celebrated include Late AK Lutaaya, Sam Walusimbi, William Kamanyi, Pity Ndiko, Sam Ssewagude, Late John Nagenda and John Nsubuga.
