It is hard to mention Uganda Cranes at the moment without mentioning the name Emmanuel Okwi. The 26-year-old’s powerful header that sealed off Uganda’s ‘sweet’ win against DR Congo at the ongoing AFCON 2019 is still fresh in the minds of Ugandans.
Emmanuel Arnold Okwi started building his football career in high school playing for St. Henry’s College, Kitovu in Masaka district. He represented Mawokota County in the Buganda Kingdom tourney, Masaza Cup from where he landed his first professional contract with SC Villa.
In his first year at SC Villa, Okwi scored 25 goals in 40 appearances hence attracting the attention of Tanzanian giants, Simba FC who immediately signed him. In January 2013, Tunisian’s Etoile du Sahel almost broke Tanzania’s transfer record as it teased to sign Okwi for $300,000 (Shs1.1 billion). However, the money turned out to be too much for the club to pay and the transfer botched.
Between 2014 and 2017, Okwi moved back and forth between SC Villa, Young Africans SC, before enduring unproductive two-year spell with Danish side, SønderjyskE Fodbold. Contract misunderstandings and injuries contributed greatly to these unstable times in his career, but Okwi never gave up. He recovered his fitness and has since settled back in with Simba FC.
Okwi made his first appearance for Uganda in 2009 during the CECAFA Cup. Two years later, he was joint top scorer in the same tournament scoring five goals in six games. With his Saturday header against the Congolese, Okwi has now scored 22 goals in 71 matches for Uganda Cranes.