West Nile Regional League table leaders, Pakwach Young Stars were last week drawn to play StarTimes Uganda Premier League side Express FC in the Round of 64 of the 52nd Edition of Stanbic Uganda Cup. The Pakwach based Young Stars go into this fixture with prior experience having eliminated higher tiered sides like Wakiso Giants FC and Kigezi Homeboyz FC in the previous editions.
Unlike the fixture appears on paper, this match is a big show for Pakawach Young Stars tactician, Samson Caesar Okhuti who once featured in colors of the visiting Red Eagles.
One of Ugandan football’s most storied forwards, Okhuti, now steering the ship at Pakwach as head coach, prepares to face the club where he once showcased his clinical poaching instincts. For the faithful in Pakwach, the presence of a double league winner on the touchline brings a renewed sense of professionalism to the West Nile regional side.
Joining Express FC in July 2015 from Al Nasir, Okhuti quickly became a focal point of their attack. During the 2015/16 season, his explosive form, highlighted by several match-winning performances earned him a high-profile move to KCCA FC in January 2016. His tenure at Wankulukuku was brief but impactful.
Perhaps the most stellar moment in his playing narrative involving The Red Eagles occurred on 21st October, 2017 when Okhuti returned to haunt his former employers while playing for Onduparaka FC. In that high-stakes encounter at Wankulukuku, with the score tied after goals from Alfred Leku and Dan Serunkuuma, Okhuti struck a dramatic extra-time winner. The goal did more than just secure three points; it propelled Onduparaka to the top of the Azam Uganda Premier League table for the first time in their history. That goal has overtime become one of the most cherished memories in the Onduparaka fanbase.
Having dropped his boots for the tactical board, Okhuti has translated his on-field intelligence into a promising coaching career. Starting to coach at Leo FC before coming out of retirement to become a player-coach at Onduparaka FC, Mvara SS and West Nile Province landed Okhuti into Pakwach Young Stars' radar where together they have emerged as a formidable force in the West Nile Region League.
As of today, Okhuti’s Pakwach side maintains a disciplined record. The team has shown a promising resilience with Okhuti instilling a culture of belief in Pakwach who sit on top of their third tier table standings having won 10 of their 11 games and drawing the other 1. Okhuti’s Stars have scored 33 goals and conceded only four times across all their first leg fixtures.
The reunion with 10th placed Express FC on the top flight table standing presents Okhuti with a chance to prove his tactical growth.
For the fans in Pakwach, having a coach with Okhuti's pedigree with 31 international caps and 8 goals for the Uganda Cranes provides the much needed experience, tactical edge and confidence to progress.
