KCCA FC board divided over Ssenyondo–Magera co-coaching appointment amid trophy drought

KCCA FC’s recent appointment of Brian Ssenyondo and Jackson Magera as permanent co-coaches has sparked division within the club’s boardroom. While the pair have signed on for a two-year stint, the decision has not been unanimously welcomed behind the scenes.

Announced on Friday, the dual appointment mirrors a strategy recently employed by Vipers SC, whose co-coaches John Ayala Luyinda and Fred Muhumuza guided them to a domestic double last season. Inspired by this success, the KCCA FC hierarchy opted for a similar path, hoping to breathe new life into a club that has now gone six seasons without a major trophy.

However, sources close to the club reveal that the board was split over the move. A faction within the leadership reportedly lobbied for current Uganda Cranes assistant coach Sam Ssimbwa whose contract expires in November to be handed the reins. They considered him a more experienced and suitable candidate to steer the club back to its glory days.

Additionally, former SC Villa head coach Dusan Stojanovic was also under consideration, but negotiations reportedly broke down due to disagreements over his salary demands. The board eventually settled on Ssenyondo and Magera, largely seen as a more cost-effective option.

Ssenyondo brings with him experience from stints at Synergy FC, Mbarara City FC, and Kitara FC, and currently serves as head coach of Uganda’s U-17 national team. Magera, meanwhile, is no stranger to Lugogo, having served as assistant, U-17 coach, and interim head coach at KCCA FC. He also spent time with SC Villa, first as an assistant in the 2021/22 season and later as head coach during the 2022/23 campaign.

The duo now shoulders the weight of expectation from fans and management alike, as KCCA FC look to bounce back from a disappointing 2024/25 season in which they finished a staggering 19 points behind champions Vipers SC and lost the Uganda Cup final to the same side.

Whether Ssenyondo and Magera can turn the tide and end the club’s six-year silverware drought remains to be seen but they certainly have their work cut out.

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