{UAH} Moses Nsereko

Nsereko was born to Silimu Mabirizi and Jane Nawova Mutesa of Ndeese, Bugerere but grew up at Naguru. He went to Naguru Katale Primary School and later City High School where he began to show glimpses of soccer artistry and abandoned other disciplines like boxing and athletics. Since Naguru is just a stone's throw from KCC FC's Lugogo training ground, Nsereko joined KCC at 14 and started out as a ball boy. He had to wait till 1970 (age 18) to get a chance of donning the yellow jersey.
He had pace and was a good crosser of the ball—something which prompted club coach Bidandi Ssali to utilise him as a right winger but with time, he shifted him into the midfield. He secured the regular place in 1971 and at the same time he was summoned to the national youth team after an impressive performance for the Buganda team that won the regional tournament.
He was part of the Youth team that won the 1971 and 1973 Cecafa Cup tournaments.
Moses Nsereko blossomed into one of the continent's finest in his position, a remarkable athlete who could both win the ball and distribute it effectively.
But the bedrock of Nsereko's game was his intelligence and strength. His positioning was impeccable; he was abrasive in the tackle, fearsome of any opponent and a staunch worker on and off the ball. Unfortunately he was brutally murdered at Wampewo flats in 1991 at the age of 39.
As fate would have it, Nsereko realised his Cranes dream in 1973 in rather bizarre circumstances. This followed a sudden spate of injuries to Francis Kulabigwo, Parry Oketch as well as defender Joseph Onziga four days to the crucial Nations Cup qualifier against Algeria.
Cranes Coach Burkhard Pape turned attention to youthful Nsereko at the time his KCC outfit played second tier. He didn't disappoint the German tactician in Uganda's 2-1 win and when the team edged the two-legged eliminator to qualify for the 1974 continental showpiece, Nsereko became a Cranes mainstay.
He went on to form a formidable midfield with Kulabigwo in the Nations Cup in Egypt.
Nsereko fact file
He was selected in the 1978 Nations Cup team of the tournament.
He played in three Africa Cup of Nations (1974, 1976 and 1978)
He won three Cecafa titles with Uganda (1973, 1976 and 1977).
He won five league titles (1976, 1977, 1981, 1983 and 1985) and three Uganda Cups (1979, 1980, 1982 and 1984) as well Cecafa Club Championship (1978) at KCC.
He was Fufa General Secretary at the time of his death in 1991.
He was an admirer of Dutchman Johan Cruyff; that's why he donned Shirt No.14 throughout his career.
He left behind two widows and eight children.
He holds the record for being the youngest coach to win a league title at 29 years. (1985 with KCC)

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"When a man is stung by a bee, he doesn't set off to destroy all beehives"

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