There hovers a cloud of uncertainty and caution among Uganda Cranes supporters as Sunday 4 – the day they clash with visiting Comoros in the AFCON 2017 group “D” final qualifier at the Nelson Mandela Stadium Namboole gets even nearer.
The importance of this day to them and entire nation cannot be understated, and it’s clearly written on the faces of nearly all fans you will get to indulge on the much awaited day. Ugandan Cranes last appeared in the AFCON 39 years back in Ghana reaching the final where they lost 2-0 to the host; ever since, attempts to make a return have proved futile with the last two campaigns in 2011 and 2013 ending in heartbreaks on the final day.
In 2011 they were held to a painfully frustrating draw by neighbors Kenya while in 2012 they lost to Zambia via penalties.
A win over the Islanders breaks the jinx – that’s how close they are to the Promised Land, however still, no one is oozing confidence, perhaps owing to the past disappointments, and they better cross the bridge first before they pop the champagne. Cranes and Burkina Faso are tied on 10 points in the group and both stand a chance of qualifying either as group leader or as one of the two best runner ups.
On my way to the capital Kampala to cover the biggest football event in East Africa this weekend, and as we were driven in a “Taxi” via the border town of Busia, I got to gauge the mood on the group. My first interaction was with the person who was seated next to me, a former army soldier and now a business man and a police reservist who gladly introduced himself as Moses Kide. He was returning from Kisumu City where he had delivered electrical goods to his Kenyan customers and was now heading back to his home town Jinja, an industrial town next to river Nile.
Kide is planning to visit Namboole for the match if he makes time or otherwise catch the action live on television after I explained to him the weight the Cranes will be carrying as the only East African team still in contention for a slot in Gabon. He told me he doesn’t follow football much due to the nature of his past as a rebel fighter with the National Resistance Movement (NRM), he is more reserved, living and enjoying his life quietly. He was quick to add that in the 1978 showpiece in Ghana, he was just 8 years old and he is praying the current crop make a return to the grand.
“Every radio station here is talking about the match, I pray they win. If I find time I will travel to Namboole even though it is costly, if not I will watch it on television.” Kide said.
Kide dropped off at Jinja, and in came Yusuf Mohammed, a Muslim who was going back to Lugazi town after Friday prayers in Jinja; Lugazi area is known for sugar cane growing. Yusuf like Kide don’t care much about football, but as a patriot he also wished the national pride well.
He alighted at Lugazi and was replaced with Simon Arum who told the taxi conductor to drop him off in Mukono town a stone throw away from Kampala. I didn’t bother to start a chat despite warm greetings from him, the over six hours journey was taking its toll on me.
As we passed Namboole next to Nelson Mandela stadium, a visibly animated Simon turned my way and told me, “Sunday is the big one” referring to the Comoros tie. Then I asked him if they will carry the day this time around and not bottle it up again. For a minute he didn’t respond, and when he did, this is what he had to say;
“This is football, anything can happen. Let’s wait for the final whistle.”
I would receive almost similar responses from two more fans in Kampala whom I spotted donning the national colors in the spirit of “Jersey Friday” a weekly campaign by the Ugandan federation (FUFA) to rally fans behind the team. Not even my good friend and host Ronny Santos, a certified noise maker who was also in his jersey could out rightly and confidently tell me Cranes will turn up and steal the show.
@bonfaceosano
