Unlike their predecessors who upon their retirement had nothing to fall back on, today’s footballers are earning millions and investing wisely. Daily Monitor’s Innocent Ndawula and Sande Bashaija plugged into the lives of some Ugandan professional footballers and bring you their findings.
Ibrahim Sekagya

The Cranes captain is a jack-of-all-trades and equally shrewd both on and off the pitch. At his new club Red Bulls Salzburg in Austria where he will earn approximately Shs20m a week, Sekagya has learnt to spend the money.

In Austria, he resides in a flat, cruises an Audi A6 and rides on Yachts with teammates, just for fun. The defence kingpin also has an acute business mind despite spending most of his earnings on his extensive family.

Rumour has it that he owns a watches shop in Nairobi where he spends some time when on holiday and has built an ultra-modern mansion in Ntinda estimated at Shs300m.

He has bought other assets from Real Estate dealers through one of his blockers and friend Hakeem. He pays hefty amounts of tuition for his relatives including his sister at Makerere University and brother Sula Ssebuza who plays for Simba SC and is a student at MUBS, Nakawa.
When in Kampala, he is a common figure in Ange Noir, discotheque where he prefers to cool down. With the new deal at Salzburg, the 26-year old will have the world at his feet one day.

Posnet Omony

He may not be playing for Cranes anymore, but Omwony enjoys a happy life both on and off the field. He is the number one at his South African club - Bloemfontein Celtics and reportedly earns a cool $3,500 (Shs6.5m) a month. While on holiday, he drives a Suzuki whereas his other car - a Toyota Carib is used for special hire at the Kireka - Banda stage. His mega mansion and apartments in Kyaliwajala - Namugongo, estimated at Shs300m are still under construction. The burly shot stopper loves to hang out a lot. Pado Pado Bar and Restaurant in Kireka, Resort Beach, Entebbe and Ange - Noir are his favourite hang out joints.

Hakim Magumba

The midfield dynamo, well known as ‘boda-boda’ is not your usual soccer player as far as financial matters are concerned. He is not the kind of guy you’ll easily find in a bar or nightclub. He has made good use of his earnings from football.

Even before he left for Rwanda, Magumba was doing well.
Even without any earnings from soccer, he was doing well with a business mind to die for, despite the little formal education he attained. Though he no longer plays for the national team, Magumba is a happy and settled man. He has amassed enough wealth that can sustain his family for some good years.
He owns a mansion in Kasubi where his wife and kid stay. He also owns a commercial building in his hometown Iganga and is currently constructing another mansion in Buziga.

Magumba drives a short Chassis Pajero, which he leaves with the wife while away in Rwanda. On top of his unknown sources of income, Magumba’s quick skillful feet earn him an additional 200,000 RWF (approximately Shs605, 000) a month at Rwanda’s Atraco F.C

Dennis Onyango

The 21-year old star never stops to shine. A natural striker, Onyango tried out his goalkeeping skills while at SC Villa in 2005 and has never looked back. He took over from his mentor Posnet Omwony and seniors Ibrahim Mugisha and Hannington Kalyesubula as the number one Cranes custodian. Onyango is only one year old at Supersport United of South Africa but his awesome game reading saw him take the number one spot at the club from Rowen Fernandez. Little is unknown about his wealth but at least he has been seen driving a car of the Escudo make and word is rife that he is constructing a house in Ndejje.

Geoffrey Sserunkuma

The 23-year old goal poacher is an orphan who is determined to make a living from his most passionate sport. A senior four dropout of Malcolm X Secondary School in Nsambya, Sserunkuma doesn’t have a lot of money to splash around lavishly.

His deal from Police to KCC, helped him to a personal sign on fee of Shs3m. He topped up with some of his personal savings to buy a 3-bedroomed house in Bweyogerere. His eight siblings look up to him for the basic necessities and despite earning US$1,500 (Shs2.5m) per month at St. George F.C in Ethiopia, Sserunkuma has been able to solely cater for his family.

Lazy and laid back as he is, Sserunkuma has good plans for all his earnings. Recently, he is said to have refurbished his Jjaaja’s house in Katwe and his parents’ home in Matugga.
Back in Uganda, he stays in his own home with his wife in Makindye.
He recently sealed a deal with South African lightweights Benoni Premier United and could land a sign on fee of US$5,000 (Shs8m).

David Obua

Goes by name ‘King David’ in Naturena and certainly lives his life like a Rex. When leaving O.R Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg, Obua graces a big billboard in a deal expected to be worth millions of shillings.
He lends a face to Play Station2 and Nike as a model in another enviable deal - all for because of his predatory skills and prowess on the pitch. It’s not a miracle that he caught Nelson Mandela’s eye and it was on his orders that the lanky Ugandan was picked on the African XI to play Ronaldo’s XI in the Mandela Challenge Cup (July 18).

Due to injury, however, Obua never played part in the match. Back home, Obua is the modern sporting idol with both a big heart for charities and upcoming talent. He regularly visits his former primary school, Kitante and mingles with pupils in football games on the dusty school compound. Occasionally, he delivers career guidance speeches to the pupils and sometime back he donated Kaizer Chiefs branded merchandise to the school.
He bought a new house for his mother in Kisaasi, Ntinda and lives a lavish life while on holiday.

Obua has a permanent apartment in Dolphin Suites, Bugoloobi and spends without worries of running dry. At his new three-bed roomed and double storied home in Glenvista, South Africa, his compound is bombarded with a car collection including a Volkswagen Polo 2006 series, Golf GTI 2005 Series and a Nissan X-trail.
While here, the utility player is chauffeured around and sometimes cruises a Mitsubishi Pajero. The lanky winger, who earns $1,500 (about Shs2.5m) a week, is building his own mansion in Ntinda, a Kampala suburb.

Timothy Batabaire

The Cranes vice captain is the most sought after defender in South African. Ahead of the CAN return fixture against Lesotho, the Ugandans who made the road trip to Maseru were welcomed in Bloemfontein (the most supported club in Lesotho that Batabaire plays for and is just one hour’s drive apart) by a big billboard of Batabaire advocating for fair play and responsible living.
The Celtics defender, who won the Most Valuable Player (MVP) gong last year is on the verge of signing a new deal estimated to be $3000 (about Shs5m) a month. This is after Celtics shrugged off demands from Kaizer Chiefs, Orlando Pirates and Mamelodi Sundowns for the player’s signature. He lives with his girlfriend in South Africa and is currently constructing housing units on a plot of land he bought in Kiwatule.
He owns a South African assembled Golf, Toyota Corona and bought another house for his parents in Iganga.

Geoffrey Massa

Massa was employed by El -Shams of Egypt till recently when he moved to Jomo Cosmos of South Africa. Massa, remembered for his brace against Lesotho and earning Cranes two spot kicks against Nigeria. As his teammates embarked on a five-hour drive from Maseru to Johannesburg after the Lesotho-Uganda encounter, Massa was whisked away by Jomo Sono’s (Jomo Cosmos boss) men in a self contained Mercedes Benz for the connecting flight. He finalised trials at Jomo Cosmos where he could land a more lucrative deal. Currently, Massa earns a cool $2,000 (about Shs3m) a month in Egypt. He is currently constructing a house in Kisaasi, Ntinda, a Kampala suburb estimated at Shs175m. For a boy who was predominantly confined to a sorry background, Massa certainly does live a decent life. But like any upcoming star, Massa loves a little uptown glamour.

Andy Mwesigwa

Little is known about his assets but the Cranes defender is said to be doing well financially. He is one of the few who, for quite some good time, could manage driving to and from Namboole for national team non-residential training as they prepared to face Lesotho.
The defence kingpin of Iceland's IBV FC recently bought several plots of land in Greater Kampala’s suburbs where he plans to erect commercial and residential structures.

Nestory Joseph Kizito

On leaving Uganda with former Ugandan international Phillip Ssozi in 2003 for professional trials in Serbia, Nestory harnessed his soccer career.
Barely five months after turning professional, Kizito bought a house in Kawempe where his family resides. He lives a simple life off the pitch but prefers hanging at Ange-Noir discotheque and is a regular at Tick Hotel in Kawempe.

The good years he has spent in the Diaspora have also enabled him build a house for his parents in Mutukula on the border of Tanzania and Uganda.
The former SC Villa defender who cuts a look of a calm and humble man is one of Uganda’s best-paid footballers. Lazy looking but hard as an iron, the talented left full back bags $4,000 (about Shs10m) at the end of every month, allowances inclusive.