The Ugandan driver of the Toyota Premio who drove away Manchester United goalkeeper Andre Onana from Mandela National Stadium, Namboole to Entebbe International Airport says the deal was pre-planned.
However, he didn’t know he was to drive the Manchester United number one.
“This car was part of the Cameroon delegation,” he started.
“I was picked by FUFA to drive the leader of the Cameroon advance party Arnold Ebolo who arrived in the country on Saturday and I have been part of them since,” he added.
“I was aware since we left the hotel with everything packed with the program reading Namboole to the airport directly but thought it was all about dropping him (Ebolo) and I parked just opposite the team buses at the stadium.”
“As I was waiting for my boss (Ebolo), he calls and asks me to drive the car towards the entrance and a barricade was removed to allow car come near the buses. As I waited there, there came Ebolo with Onana he told me I drop him off immediately at the airport. It was then that Onana asked me ‘bro, can we make it to the airport in 20 minutes?’ and I told him it was impossible but we made it in 35 minutes.”
On reaching the airport, he helped carry his luggage and Onana, wanted to give him money but had no cash and the machines at the airport were not readily available although that didn’t matter to Ssemazzi who had already been paid.
“So many fans at the airport wanted to take pictures with him but he apologized that they let him go since he was late and promised he will be here next month.”
Andre Onana was whisked away from Namboole he didn’t travel with the team bus.Security had to disperse the excited crowd to allow his premio to leave Namboole straight to the airport.
“He was due to fly with Brussels Airlines with the flight scheduled for 11pm.”
Ssemazzi further reveals his conversation with Onana while on the way but said the star kept most of his time on his phone.
Onana and his Indomitable Lions teammates will play at Namboole again on October 15 when they take on Kenya’s Harambee Stars.
With the events that took place that day, Onana surely will never forget Uganda. Wherever he goes, he will surely know that he is loved by people out there.
As the Manchester United goalkeeper gets ready for his early Premier League kick-off game coming this Saturday against Southampton, let us hope the love he got from Uganda will motivate him to even be one better, making him keep more clean sheets for the Red Devils
