After nearly a year on the sidelines, Bright Anukani has finally returned to action for KCCA FC, ending a strange and drawn-out saga that kept one of Uganda’s most talented playmakers out of competitive football.
The attacking midfielder made his first appearance since May 24, 2025, on Sunday, coming off the bench as KCCA edged Mbarara City FC 1-0 in the Stanbic Uganda Cup to secure a spot in the round of 16.
Anukani’s absence was never due to injury or a dip in form. Instead, it stemmed from a baffling decision by KCCA to sideline a player of his calibre. At the start of the 2025/26 season, the club reportedly informed him he was no longer part of their plans.
The move stunned fans and pundits alike. Anukani, known for his exceptional vision, ball control, and intelligence in tight spaces, had long been considered one of the country’s finest midfield creators.
Yet KCCA compounded the confusion by refusing to compensate him for the final two years of his contract and denying him a license to play elsewhere, effectively freezing him out while still binding him to the club.
For months, the midfielder hovered in professional limbo. Even when Entebbe UPPC FC expressed interest in signing him, negotiations faltered because Anukani sought the rightful compensation from KCCA for the final year of his contract, a request the club would not accommodate. Matters worsened when he was relegated to training with the junior squad, a surprising fate for a player of his standing.
KCCA FC relegates Anukani to junior ranks as licensing saga drags on
Yet, in recent weeks, relations appeared to thaw quietly. Anukani rejoined first-team training and, on Sunday, finally returned to the matchday squad.
The game offered a glimpse of what had been missing. Shortly after entering, Anukani seemed to mark his comeback with a goal, only for it to be ruled out for offside. Even so, his composure and creativity injected new life into KCCA’s midfield, helping set up Filbert Obenchan’s decisive strike.
For Anukani, the moment was deeply symbolic. It was not just a return to the field but a release from an unnecessary professional purgatory imposed by administrative obstinacy.
And for KCCA, the episode casts a long shadow. The club spent nearly a year sidelining one of Uganda’s brightest midfield talents rather than resolving the situation fairly and transparently. In a league that prides itself on professionalism and player development, the handling of Anukani’s case felt both excessive and short-sighted.
