How Kayemba became a flawed genius after emerging top marksman in 1998

At the moment, SC Villa faithful are pondering the next action following their club’s poor performance in the 2024/2025 season.

Last year, the Jogoos defied all odds to win the league title which had eluded the Villa Parkside for 20 years. However, for the old guard in Ugandan football, this is not the first time for the Jogoos to post mixed results. Back in 1997, the last long spell SC Villa finished the season empty-handed, it was the third season without a major trophy.

There were rumours of ‘match-fixing’ at Villa Park. This followed the exodus of several key players. SC Villa bosses moved fast and went into a mass recruitment process. One of the star recruits was Charles Kayemba. He was returning to SC Villa after a two-year spell at State House FC.

Besides finishing, the giant striker had pace and power. In a few months, he established himself as the new Villa darling, scoring goals after goals which helped the club to rekindle the lost glory.

EARLY YEARS

Kayemba had already established himself as a top prospect during his time at Makerere College School and Kamwokya FC. SC Villa spotted this talent during a friendly match held at Villa Park in 1995 and signed him the following year.

There were glimpses of brilliance from the youngster, but they were all too sparing, as he appeared to lack the maturity for the first-team responsibility. Under the guidance of Paul Hasule at the time, SC Villa decided to loan him to State House along with Phillip Ssozi.

The two players were among the best performers for State House. So, when SC Villa released some of the veteran players, coach Hasule, who had handled Kayemba and Ssozi at State House, requested the club to elevate them to Villa Park.

At the time, SC Villa had also recruited the likes of Hassan Mubiru, Hakim Magumba, Idi Batambuze, Daniel Kiwanuka and Joseph Mutyaba, who had teamed up with other established stars such as Edgar Watson, Hakim Magumba, Joseph Mutyaba and David Kiwanuka, among others.

KAYEMBA’S HEROICS

Kayemba’s game at SC Villa grew so quickly. His blistering pace was now accompanied by power and artistry that made him, at times, completely unplayable. Surprisingly, Hasule handed him the club’s captain’s armband for a few games before eventually passing it to Edgar Watson

In the 1998 season, Kayemba answered his doubters by scoring goals that fired the Jogoos to their first league and Uganda Cup ‘double’ in nine years and also emerged as the league’s top scorer with 12 goals. Yeah….12 looks like a meagre return but that was how hard the competitiveness of the league was.

Thereafter, Cranes head coach Asumani Lubowa and his number two, Paul Hasule, included Kayemba in the squad that prepared for the 2000 Afcon qualifiers. He was part of the team that whipped Rwanda 5-0 at Nakivubo stadium on August 1, 1998.

In this match, Kayemba made his debut, coming on as a late substitute. From then on, he continued to be a national team squads man. Unfortunately, he failed to secure a permanent place due to the presence of Magid Musisi and Hassan Mubiru.

Going forward, his brace against Nile at Bugembe stadium in Villa’s 2-0 win plus the hat-trick against Mbale Heroes in the 10-0 league triumph at Mbale municipal stadium can never be forgotten by the Villa fans.

Kayemba was also an important player for his Balangira clan, where he featured prominently during the annual Bika By’Abaganda football event. In 1999, the Andrew Mukasa and Mubiru’s combo, which was dubbed ‘Mu-Mu, emerged as the hottest striking combination and coach Hasule had no option but to switch Kayemba to right wing.

Kayemba filled in effectively and carried out his defensive duties too. Wherever he featured on the pitch, he never lost the knack of turning up in the right place at the right time to score goals.

His brace against Police in the 4-0 win and another brace in the 9-0 against Mbale Heroes, plus that assist to Mubiru in the grudge match against Express stick in the memory of SC Villa faithful. In 2001, an ankle injury sidelined Kayemba for some weeks, but he returned and played a crucial role in SC Villa’s fourth straight league title.

MYSTERIOUS DEMISE

By 2002, Kayemba had become a bit-part time player for Villa as the club searched for its sixth double, this time under Serbian tactician Milutin ‘Micho’ Sredojevic, in 2002. And this was in spite of the departure of both Mubiru and Mukasa to Express FC.

In 2003, he left the country for Vietnam, where he joined many other Ugandan players seeking to join the professional ranks. Kayemba reportedly made some good money, which he remitted back home to his family.

Just a few months later, he quietly returned from Vietnam, but according to close friends, he had some disagreement with some family members who were handling his finances, whom he accused of misusing his hard-earned money.

He disappeared off the radar for a few days only for his body to be found after a reported suicide at his Kamwokya residence on April 20, 2004.

bzziwa@observer.ug