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A Kampala based charity organization has run to the rescue of former national team player Andrew Mukasa. Kampala School of  Excellence Ministries has undertaken the renovation of Andrew Mukasa's dilapidated house found in Wakaliga a Kampala suburb. Led by the organisation's Executive Director and former Cranes team mate Daniel Ntale, the organisation dispatched a team of 30 energetic youth to carry out the assignment.
Notable among the volunteers were former Cranes midfielder (also a member of the organisation's executive) Robert Kiweesi and Cranes team mate Mathias Kaweesa. Mathias Kaweesa is the only Ugandan player ever to beat Andrew Mukasa at goals by thrice being the top scorer. Mathias holds the record for having won the league top scorer award for three consecutive times compared to Mukasa's two times. Mukasa only beats Kaweesa by having the most number of goals in a season with 45 goals in the 1999-2000 season. Kaweesa however was the first Uganda professional player to win the top scorers award in a foreign league with 17 goals in Oman. Speaking to our correspondent, Kaweesa was unhappy that former football players were not being adequately recognized for their services. He called upon football authorities to renumerate football players adequately to prevent them from becoming paupers in future.
Who is Andrew Mukasa?
Mukasa was born in 1981 to Grace Nandawula of Wakaliga, Natete, a suburb south of Kampala. According to his mother Mukasa's father passed away when he was still an infant. He started his football at Kyaggwe road Primary School grounds then a hub of youth football. In 1994 he briefly joined Baggery FC; a former 2nd division side which he helped get promoted to the 1st division. In 1995 Mukasa joined Nakawa-based Puma F.C in the Nakawa First Division where he scored a total of 33 goals the highest number of
goals scored in a first division league in Uganda. The same year Mukasa was invited to Uganda's U-18 squad that took part in the
Coca-Cola East and Central African Junior Championships in Ethiopia under Coach Paul Saali. He not only scored 3 goals but also led Uganda to the finals. Following his heroic performance in the U-18 regional tournament, Mukasa joined Sports Club Villa despite being a strong supporter of arch-rivals Kampala City Council in 1996. He led Villa to the 1998 league title and Kakungulu Cup and was instrumental in winning the club league titles for the next 3 years. He was also top scorer in the Uganda super league for 2 consecutive
years. In 2001 Mukasa joined Express Football Club which he helped win the East African Hedex Cup the same year in Mwanza, Tanzania. In 2008 Mukasa briefly joined KB Lions Football Club and played in the First Division but due to mental illness opted out of competitive football.
Honours
First Division league top scorer 1995(PUMA FC)
Led Uganda to the finals of Coca-Cola East and Central African Junior
Championships in Ethiopia 1995
4 League tittles, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001 (SC Villa)
2 Kakungulu Cups 1998, 2000 (SC Villa)
League Top scorer 1999, 2000 (SC villa)
East African Hedex Cup (SC Villa)
Led SC villa to CECAFA finals (1999)
East African Hedex Cup (Express)
Inspired Uganda's U-23 national team into the 1999 All African Games.
Misfortune
Despite successes in football Andrew Mukasa has not lived to pride in his accomplishments due to mental problems that have affected his career. For a long time, the former Cranes player has suffered from mental breakdown resulting in ultimate weaknesses in his health. This also affected his public image. This has been attributed to many causes though information from his family points to evil spirits
emanating from family disputes. This has affected his health with visible signs of weight loss and dehydration. He has twice been admitted to Butabika Mental Hospital for rehabilitation but this has been of limited assistance. Earlier efforts to assist him gained little  success as most of the resources were directed towards his health and little was directed towards his rehabilitation, welfare and upkeep. Nevertheless a number of opportunists disguising as Mukasa's loyal fans capitalized on his predicament to solicit funds from unsuspecting football lovers supposedly on behalf of the former Cranes marksman. This greatly demoralized the former player and his family from seeking further assistance. Consequently Mukasa was left with little attention and currently lives with untold suffering and regret.
Today he lives off small donations from well-wishers and friends only enough to sustain him till the next day yet his current health condition is alarming and requires immediate intervention. According to his parent's acting on Doctors' advice, Mukasa's current condition requires urgent and thorough medical attention. Mukasa who is dehydrated has shunned food and survives on snacks which have contributed to his weight loss. This was aggravated by the strong medication from the mental hospital which left him weakened till today.
Mukasa's House
In 2000, Sports Club Villa, the league giants, built a 3 roomed house for Mukasa in recognition of his services to the club. This became his home until 2001 when his mental illnesses became prominent; despite this the house remained in good shape with the family renovating the structure from their meager resources until they could do no more. Subsequently, due to the poor location, Mukasa's house was invaded by floods which sunk his house some few meters deep. The house is covered with mud and water up to window level and is inhabitable. This forced the former league top scorer to relocate to the neighboring shelter, a one roomed house formerly belonging to his late uncle.
Mukasa's new home is slightly different from the old one as the uncompleted one roomed structures is poorly ventilated, has a muddy
 floor and was inhabitable for humans until the timely intervention of the charity. The bedroom in his one roomed house also serves as the dining and sitting room. While Mukasa's mental illness can largely be blamed for his current condition, his welfare including accommodation and feeding is deplorable and demands immediate attention. The organization has also provided sheets, blanket and refurbished his bed to provide more comfort.
The charity event was also graced by a number of media Houses including NTV, the Red Pepper, Newvision, Star FM and UBC radio.Speaking to the media, the KSEM Director called upon all Ugandans to take responsibility and support the cause arguing that it is shameful to neglect our heroes.Ugandans wishing to support the cause can reach out to the family at their Wakaliga residence or the charity organization on its hotline 0392886999 or send an email to
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