On September 15, 1967, a football gem was born in Kampala, Magid Musisi, the man who would go on to etch his name as Uganda’s most celebrated footballer.
Today, he would be celebrating his 58th birthday, and though he departed this world in December 2005, his legacy still roars like a lion in Ugandan football folklore.
Born to Siraje Katende and Deborah Namutebi, Musisi’s story began in the dusty playgrounds of Mulago, nicknamed ‘Maracana’ after Brazil’s iconic stadium.
It was here, alongside childhood peers like Adam Semugabi and Rajab Sekalye, that a powerful, stocky, and lightning-fast youngster began shaping into a phenomenon.
By 16, he had abandoned school to chase his football dream, and Pepsi FC snapped him up in 1983.
Just two years later, SC Villa’s legendary coach David Otti ushered him into the big stage.
A defining moment came in August 1985 when Musisi stunned rivals Express with two quick goals inside four minutes, a spark that lit the fire of a goal-scoring machine.
From there, Musisi became Villa’s spearhead, delivering league and cup doubles, Cecafa Club triumphs, and a record 28-goal season that crowned him Uganda’s top scorer.
His exploits inevitably caught the national team’s eye. Wearing the Cranes jersey, Musisi struck alongside Phillip Omondi, famously dismantling Mozambique in the 1988 Olympic qualifiers with a brace in each leg.
Stars: Magidu Musisi (Capt), Robert Mukiibi, Jackson Mayanja, Iddi Batambuze, Mubiru Tabliq, Robert Aloro, Mike Mukasa, Adam Semugabi, Charles Temaligwe, Issa Sewanyana, Fred Tamale, Sula Kato, Rajab Sekalye, Shaban Yasin, Sadiq Wassa, George Ssemogerere.
In France, he donned the Stade Rennais jersey, becoming a cult hero before sealing a record-breaking $1 million move to Turkish giants Bursaspor in 1997.
There, he didn’t just score goals, he created history, introducing the famous ‘crocodile walk’ celebration that Bursaspor fans still treasure today.
Later, he featured for Çanakkale Dardanelspor and even Vietnam’s Đà Nẵng, carrying Uganda’s flag across continents.
His international journey was sprinkled with both brilliance and controversy, captaining the Uganda Cranes, hitting a memorable hat-trick against Rwanda in 1998, but also clashing with coaches.
Still, Musisi remained larger than life, an unshakable symbol of Ugandan football’s golden spirit.
Away from the pitch, Musisi was a father of seven, a man whose battles extended beyond defenders to personal struggles.
After a long illness, he passed on December 13, 2005, at his mother’s home in Bwaise, before being laid to rest in Bukasa.
Yet every September 15, his story refuses to fade. Musisi wasn’t just a footballer, he was a trailblazer, record-breaker, and inspiration to countless ghetto youths who saw in him the proof that dusty playgrounds could produce international legends.
