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Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT & URN | Former Cranes captain Jimmy Kirunda,70 has died.
According to Ahmed Hussein, the Communications Officer of the soccer governing body FUFA, Kirunda reportedly collapsed while walking in Bwaise, on the outskirts of Kampala Monday afternoon and was pronounced dead moments later.
Flamboyant, disciplined and versatile, he played for all Uganda’s big clubs Express, KCCA and SC Villa.
The highlight of his career, was at KCCA in 1978, where he switched from defence to striking, going on to lead the league top scorer with a record 38 goals. The record was only broken two decades later, by Andrew Fimbo Mukasa in 1999.
The same year, he captained Cranes, from the back as they shocked the continent to reach the Africa Cup of Nations final match. Led by another legend Phillip Omondi, Cranes marched past giants Morocco and Nigeria, but fell to hosts Ghana in the final.
He was the manager of the national team between 1989 and 1996. Kirunda played as a defender for Express FC, KCCA FC, SC Villa, and Abu Dhabi sports. Goal.com, a sports website, describes Kirunda as “a genius class of the act.”
Who exactly were these 1978 Stars? https://t.co/M9SigcWpB8 #Cranes1978 #Cranes2017 @michocoach #UGthinking. pic.twitter.com/PRaEmL3GLG
— Louis Jadwong (@Jadwong) December 27, 2016
In 2014, Kirunda told Confederation of African Football (CAF) online that his experience in the 1978 African Cup finals “is what has kept me a true legend for all these years and believe it can happen soon.”
He added that “We were a great team and played good football, when you want to be a champion you have to win big games. This has been a problem for Ugandan football if the boys can win the big games then it can be well. It was teamwork and aggressiveness that we overcame the likes of Egypt and Morocco of those days and we did it on merit.”
He is known for the composure in possession of the ball and also aggressive enough to dispose of the opponent.
Uganda league top scorers 1968-2017
YEAR PLAYER CLUB GOALS
1968 –
1969 Ali Kitonsa Express 36
1970 –
1971 Ouma Polly Simba 18
1972 Not awarded
1973 Joy Ssebuliba LINT 17
1974 Peter Kirumira Express 14
1975 Chris Dungu KCC FC 12
1976 John Ntesibe Express 14
1977 Dennis Obua Police 24
1978 Jimmy Kirunda KCC 38
1979 Davis Kamoga KCC 18
1980 Davis Kamoga KCC 21
1981 Issa Sekatawa NYTIL 18
1982 Issa Sekatawa Express 22
1983 Issa Sekatawa Express 21
1984 Frank Kyazze KCC 18
1985 Frank Kyazze KCC 28
1986 Charles Letti Tobacco 29
1987 Magidu Musisi SC Villa 28
1988 Mathias Kawesa Nsambya 17
1989 Magidu Musisi SC Villa 15
1990 Magidu Musisi SC Villa 28
1991 Mathias Kawesa Coffee 18
1992 Magidu Musisi SC Villa 29
1993 Mathias Kawesa SC Villa 20
1994 Adolf Bola Coffee 21
1995 Ibrahim Kizito UEB 20
1996 David Kiwanuka UEB 21
1997 Jackson Mayanja /Ogwang 18
1998 Charles Kayemba SC Villa 12
1999 Andrew Mukasa SC Villa 45
2000 Andrew Mukasa SC Villa 27
2001 Hassan Mubiru Express 27
2002 Hassan Mubiru Express 22
2003 Hassan Mubiru Express 16
2004 Kiwanuka/R.Sentongo Simba 10
2005 Martin Muwanga/Serunkuma 8
2006 Daniel Walusimbi Police 15
2007 Hamis Kitagenda URA 20
2008 Brian Umony/Olobo Simba 15
2009 Ssenyonjo Peter Police 22
2010 Tonny Odur Bunamwaya 21
2011 Hamis Diego Kiiza URA 14
2012 Robert Sentongo URA 13
2013 Herman Wasswa KCC 20
2014 Francis Olaki/Odur KCC 15
2015 Robert Sentongo URA 15
2016 Geoffrey Serunkuma KCC 20
2017 Dan Mzee Serunkuma Vipers 17
