Faisal Wabyoona Announces His Mbale Heroes Arrival In Thrilling Show

As the 2024/25 primary transfer window came to an end a few days ago, lanky midfielder Faisal Wabyoona, also commonly known as ‘Kanyama’ crossed over to Mbale Heroes, on loan from KCCA.

It was such a silent move that went unnoticed as ‘no one’ was talking about it – KCCA didn’t announce the player’s departure, and neither did Mbale Heroes announce his arrival.

In Mbale Heroes first game in which they lost 2-1 to Express, Wabyoona was on the bench, and still no one made any noise about him joining the Mbale-based side that’s just returned to the Uganda Premier League (UPL).

In their second game, which was also their first at home, second half substitute Waiswa Cosia scored an 85th minute free-kick goal to grant the Surgeons their first win upon their return to the top division, and it was against defending champions SC Villa!

It’s also during and after that victory in which Wabyoona’s triumphant exhibition of his skills left ‘everyone’ at Mbale Stadium asking who the shirt number 20 was, and where he came from.

Well, Wabyoona was part of the celebrated Uganda Hippos squad that reached the Mauritania 2020 AFCON U20 final in 2021, under the guidance of coach Morley Byekwaso.

On Sunday, the midfielder was opposite sides with his former coach. Wabyoona was on the blue side for Mbale Heroes, as Byekwaso was on the touchline for the opposite away team in white.

After playing against SC Villa, the fans in Mbale who have been starved of UPL football for close to twenty years now can now identify Wabyoona by his shirt number (20). Very soon, they’ll all be singing his name.

What a way that was for the 21-year-old former Uganda Hippos player to introduce himself to the Mbale football fan base – the ‘tiny, young man’ ran the show in the middle of the park on his full home debut for the UPL newcomers.

Wabyoona has some good qualities, and can still develop into a much better player. The former Bright Stars and Big Talent Academy player is a versatile midfielder who can operate smoothly in any of the midfield positions – effective in both attacking and defending roles.

However, he so much needed to make that Mbale Heroes move to escape away from the crowded midfield suffocation at Lugogo, that wouldn’t grant him any breathing space for playing time.

Some of KCCA’s midfield options include Ashraf Mugume, Joel Sserunjogi, Saidi Mayanja, Bright Anukani, Arafat Usama, Sharif Ssengendo, Ettiene Katenga and Steven Munguchi amongst other top players.

Otherwise, Wabyoona still has two years left on his long-term contract with the Kasasiro Boys, having penned down a five-year deal with the Lugogo-based side in 2022, running until 2027.

Meanwhile, Mbale Heroes parted ways with almost all of their players from last season, with only goalkeeper Paul Mujampwani, striker Akram Muzanyi, winger Waiswa Cosia and defenders Abdul Malik Bironse plus Musa Malunda still actively part of the current squad.

Besides Wabyoona, the Surgeons have as well signed over a dozen new other players, also including goalkeeper Delton Oyo and utility player Amos Etojo.

The many other new signings also include Davis Ssekajja, Bernard Ndifuna, Jude Ddumba, Alimansi Bidondole, Samson Kasozi, Isaac Ofoyrwoth, Bashir Oni, David Kakeeto, Jeremy Matata, Edgar Katumba, Hassan Kato, Pius Kaggwa and Hakim Musabbah.