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David GOMBE
Kalema’s journey from the dusty playgrounds of Kiboga to the nationwide highlight stands as one of many strongest testimonies to the transformative energy of the the Airtel Masaza Cup.
Born and raised in Kiboga by Teopista Birungi and the late Ben Kimuli, Kalema’s soccer expertise manifested at an early age. Curiously, he didn’t start his profession as a striker. Whereas in major college, he joined a soccer academy the place he initially performed as a left again. Nevertheless, one in all his coaches rapidly recognized his attacking instincts and transformed him right into a ahead, a call that redefined his soccer profession.
Kalema attended St. Andrews Main Faculty in Kiboga earlier than becoming a member of St. Paul Kyamutwe, popularly generally known as Rock Base. He later accomplished his major training at St. Balikuddembe Main Faculty, a government-aided establishment in Kyankwanzi District.
He later joined Kiboga United FC to play within the FUFA Regional League, the place he scored 11 targets whereas nonetheless in Senior Two at Gentle Secondary Faculty and later Vienna Secondary Faculty. His efficiency caught the eye of Buddo Secondary Faculty, the place he joined for S.3 and S.4 beneath the steerage of coach Simon Peter Mugerwa.
Whereas Kalema was in Senior Three at Buddo, Mugerwa was appointed head coach of Busiro County for the 2022 Masaza Cup match. Assured in his younger striker’s skill, he included Kalema within the squad, a chance he utilized so effectively.
“I checked out this as an enormous alternative, and I set myself a goal of scoring at the least 4 targets within the match. I surpassed my goal and scored 5 targets, contributing to Busiro’s first Masaza Cup title in 18 years,” Kalema remembers.
Following Busiro’s victory, Kalema moved to Mawokota for the 2023 version of the match. Though issues didn’t go solely as deliberate, the group managed a third-place end.
The next season, in 2024, he crossed to Buweekula County, the place he scored 4 targets and helped the group safe one other bronze medal end. His spectacular performances earned him a return to Buweekula for the 2025 version.
Realizing it will seemingly be his remaining look within the Masaza Cup, Kalema determined to go away an unforgettable mark on the match.
On the finish of the competitors, he helped Buweekula win its first Masaza Cup title since 2004, emerged the match’s Most Priceless Participant, netted 7 targets and gained the Golden Boot.
Whereas Kalema targeted on bettering his ending skill, scouts from Kitara FC had already recognized him as a particular expertise. His tempo, motion, and talent to torment defenders made him inconceivable to disregard.
Quickly after the ultimate, Kalema signed a two-year contract with Kitara FC. Inside a couple of months of becoming a member of the membership, he scored the profitable purpose towards Sports activities Membership Villa to safe Kitara’s second Stanbic Uganda Cup title in three years.
“I performed my final video games for Buweekula whereas we had been already in talks with Kitara FC. By the point I completed the ultimate towards Ssingo, my contract with Kitara was virtually full,” he says.
Kalema reveals that his choice to hitch Kitara was largely influenced by the prospect of getting common enjoying time, a chance he says the membership has supplied. Regardless of curiosity from different prime golf equipment, together with Specific FC and URA FC, he believed Kitara supplied the perfect surroundings for his progress.
He credit the Masaza Cup for giving him the platform to shine and additional develop his expertise.
“The Masaza Cup has not solely given me a chance to exhibit my expertise, nevertheless it has additionally helped me enhance by way of the steerage from coaches and fellow gamers. I strongly imagine the match continues to carry many younger gamers into the highlight, identical to it did for me,” he says.
Kalema now goals of representing the Uganda Cranes and finally securing knowledgeable transfer overseas. He believes attaining these targets is solely a matter of continued arduous work and persistence.
He advises younger footballers to concentrate on growing their expertise first if they’re to go far in soccer.”My fellow gamers must work arduous and construct their careers first as an alternative of chasing cash. You may get cash and it will get completed, however with out good efficiency, you can’t earn extra of it,” he says.
Kalema’s success story is only one amongst many produced by the Airtel Masaza Cup. Through the years, the competitors has nurtured quite a few gamers who’ve gone on to characteristic in Uganda’s top-flight league, signify the Uganda Cranes, and safe skilled contracts overseas.
Different notable beneficiaries embrace Hassan Mubiru of Butambala, who not too long ago joined Azam FC in Tanzania from Sports activities Membership Villa, Yunus Ssentamu, Nicholas Kabonge, Emma Okwi, and Farouk Miya, who helped Mawokota win the Masaza Cup in 2013 earlier than scoring the historic purpose that returned Uganda to the Africa Cup of Nations in 2017 after a 39-year absence.
The Buganda Kingdom Premier, Owek. Charles Peter Mayiga, says expertise improvement is a key precedence in Masaza match, which has given many gamers an opportunity to showcase their talents earlier than happening to fly the nationwide flag. He commends the competitors for empowering youth with invaluable alternatives whereas inspiring unity and progress.
“The Masaza Cup provides employment, builds unity and brings in income. It’s a true platform for expertise and transformation,” Mayiga says.
David Birungi, the Supervisor, Communications and Company at Airtel Uganda who’re the premium sponsors for the cup says the corporate’s 13-year sponsorship of the Masaza Cup has yielded vital leads to expertise improvement.
“For the years Airtel has supported the Masaza Cup, we’ve got seen many gifted gamers progress to the nationwide group {and professional} golf equipment overseas. We stay dedicated to investing within the match to proceed producing expertise that contributes to the expansion of Ugandan soccer,” Birungi says.
Launched in 2004 and first gained by Gomba, the Masaza Cup continues to determine and nurture extra younger skills, empower youth, and promote cultural identification and unity in Uganda and past.
For Jimmy Kalema, the Airtel Masaza Cup was greater than only a competitors. It was the stage that reworked a gifted teenager from Kiboga into one in all Uganda’s brightest rising strikers, a robust reminder of what can occur when uncooked expertise is given the chance to shine.
