Geoffrey Sserunkuma will never forget the year 2017. The striker reminded Uganda that old is gold as a stellar season with KCCA FC.
Having vanished for a while, the 34-year-old produced a spectacular show with 32 goals in all competitions as KCCA retained the Uganda Premier League (UPL) title last season.
And it was a no brainer that Sserunkuma was deserved winner of the MVP gong at the 2016/17 Azam UPL Awards held at Imperial Royale Hotel on Wednesday night.
“I thank the Lord for making this day,” ever humble Sserunkuma said in his victory speech. Later, he would receive his Subaru Forester car and Shs2m from Betway’s country manager Anton Opperman.
For his bag of 21 goals, Sserunkuma saw off competition from former SC Villa striker Emmanuel Okwi and Onduparaka’s Muhammad Shaban for the top prize.
In their maiden season, Onduparaka finished fifth out of 16 teams and Shaban was the stand-out player with 13 goals in 26 games. Okwi had 10 goals in 13 games for second-placed Villa.
“I thank everyone who has made me get this far. I thank my coaches at KCCA who did this for me. I cannot forget my uncle who raised me, my wife and family.” added Sserunkuma, who has already secured a new deal with Zambian club Buildcon FC.
It was Sserunkuma’s night as he also received the top scorer’s gong and the Fans’ Player of the Year award. For the latter, he narrowly beat Onduparaka’s Gadhaffi Anguzu after polls conducted using #UPLAwards via Facebook and Twitter by UPL.
KCCA dominated several over categories with Mike Mutebi taking the Coach of the Year award for the second year in a row.
Teenage midfield sensation Allan Okello was voted as Young Player of the Year while former boss David Tamale took the Club CEO of the Year prize.
KCCA also got the Fair Play Team of the Year Award after picking only 25 yellow cards and a card.
For their unwavering support that changed the landscape of the league, Betway-sponsored Onduparaka’s 12th man was crowned as the Fans of the Year.
Surprisingly, Onduparaka chairman Bernard Atiku read out his club’s name from the envelope before receiving the prize from UPL chairman Arinaitwe Rugyendo.
All individual winners on the night received cash prizes from Betway, the package totaling to Shs10m.
2016/17 UGANDA PREMIER LEAGUE AWARDS
Champions: KCCA FC
MVP: Geoffrey Sserunkuma (KCCA FC)
Goalkeeper of the season: Isma Watenga (Vipers)
Defender of the season: Halid Lwaliwa (Vipers)
Midfielder of the season: Saddam Juma (Express FC)
Top Scorer: Geoffrey Sserunkuma (KCCA FC, 21goals)
Young Player of the year: Allan Okello (KCCA FC)
Fan’s player of the year: Geoffrey Sserunkuma
Fair play club of the season: KCCA
Fair play individual of the season: Fred Ssenoga
Coach of the year: Mike Mutebi (KCCA FC)
Best Goalkeeping coach: Stephen Billy Kiggundu (Vipers)
Referee of the year: Alex Muhabi
Club CEO of the season: David Tamale (KCCA FC)
Best Media Personality
TV - Ismail Dhakaba Kigongo (NTV)
Radio - Fiona Namiiro (Star FM)
Print - John Vianney Nsimbe (The Observer)
Photography - John Batanudde (Redpepper)
Online - Isabirye David (Kawowo Sports)
Fan(s) of the year: Onduparaka Fans
Life Time Achiever Award: Patrick Kawooya (SC Villa)
The BEST XI of the SEASON
Ismail Watenga (Vipers), Nicholas Wadada (Vipers), Habib Kavuma (KCCA), Timothy Awany (KCCA), Halid Lwaliwa (Vipers), Taddeo Lwanga (SC Villa), Ibrahim Saddam Juma (Express FC), Muzamiru Mutyaba (KCCA), Muhammad Shaban (Onduparaka), Emmanuel Okwi (SC Villa) and Geoffrey Sserunkuma (KCCA)
This writer is a scribe with Daily Monitor Newspaper and, also a sports presenter with NBS Television and Radio One FM 90 in Kampala. Follow him on Twitter: @AllanDarren and his Facebook Page: Darren Allan Kyeyune