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Mwebaze explains how Montreal Impact’s Kizza helped Maroons FC earn promotion
The former Onduparaka head coach states he had to run to KCCA and secure the defender who later turned out to be a key player
Former Maroons FC head coach Asaph Mwebaze has revealed how Montreal Impact defender Mustafa Kizza helped them get Ugandan Premier League (UPL) promotion five seasons ago.
Mwebaze stated he approached KCCA FC – Kizza’s immediate former side – looking for players he thought would help them fight for a UPL slot after their relegation.
“In the season of 2016/17 KCCA had several young stars that had just graduated from their junior side while Maroons had just suffered relegation to the second tier and was trying to assemble a team for the long haul,” Mwebaze told Football256.
“I contacted coach Mike Mutebi to take some of those players and specifically asked for [Peter] Magambo, [Mustafa] Kizza and [Allan] Okello to bolster my young side in Luzira.
“I was told that I could have Kizza, [Paul] Willa and [Ronald] Kikonyogo, I ran off to Fufa house on deadline day with then Maroons CEO [Innocent] Oguda to have these players transferred on the Fifa matching system.”
The former Nyamityobora head coach further explained how the left-back brought a new lease of life at Maroons.
“Kizza reported for training the next day and I knew I had just completed the jigsaw for promotion. I had a defence of Kizza, Eddie Kapampa, Richard Ayiko, Maxwell Okello and Allan Anguyo,” he continued.
“That season we played a 3-5-2 formation and we went the first round unbeaten with Patrick Kaddu firing on all cylinders.
“Kizza’s ability to deliver the ball in dangerous areas provided us with a very lethal attack with compliments from Kapampa on the right.
“He became our dead ball specialist as his ability to hit the target was jaw-dropping. He was profoundly known as ‘Muchezaggi’ translated as a player in English.
“His assists contributed to the proficient attack at Maroons led by Kaddu with Solomon Walusimbi, Pius Obuya and Kikonyogo in tandem.”
Subsequently, Kizza signed a deal with Montreal Impact for two years with an option for an additional three.
Kizza was a key member of the Kassasiro Boys side which lifted the UPL title in 2019.
In the abandoned 2019/20 season, in which KCCA surrendered the title to Vipers FC, the full-back-cum-winger scored five goals and gave 12 assists from 19 games.
He has already started training with the Canadian side after he was unveiled on Friday and given jersey number 12 just the same number he wore at KCCA.
