By Buwule Joseph Mary
Uganda’s sports fraternity is mourning the death of veteran journalist, analyst and talk show host Allan Ssekamatte.
Allan died at Kiruddu National Referral Hospital.
His death was announced by longtime friend and fellow veteran sports journalist Mark Ssali.
Q“Dear friends, our beloved Allan Ssekamatte has passed away at Kiruddu Hospital. So long my brother, may God take charge,” Ssali wrote.
The cause of death was not immediately disclosed.
Ssekamatte who was in early 50s was widely regarded as one of Uganda’s most insightful sports analysts, remembered for his role on WBS Television during the early 2000s alongside Mark Ssali and Joseph Kabuleta on the popular 442 programme.
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“We grew up watching the trio of Mark, Joseph and Allan on our TV. So sad,” one fan posted.
He also worked across radio and print, including at 93.3 KFM, where colleagues described him as lively and engaging.
“Oooh Allan!!!! He was a nice guy. Real, funny and full of life… Worked with him for a couple of years at 933 Monitor FM,” former colleague Rukh-Shana Kitaka wrote.
Others recalled his newspaper columns as a staple of Ugandan sports journalism.
“I would always turn to the back page… and find a piece by Allan Ssekamatte,” another mourner noted.
Tributes continued to pour in, with many describing his death as a major loss to the industry.
“We’re deeply saddened by the passing of Allan Ssekamatte, the esteemed sports genius,” wrote Hans-Peter Kabanda.
Ssekamatte is remembered as a key voice in Uganda’s sports media, particularly during the “golden era” of television analysis.
Funeral arrangements had not yet been announced by press
Ssekamatte shot to fame on the Scoreline on Monitor FM (now KFM), one of Uganda’s most recognisable sports shows, which first aired in 2001 after then Monitor editor-in-chief Charles Onyango Obbo decreed that Mark Ssali had to settle in only Namuwongo and not continue with Locker Room on Radio One.
Scoreline, which ran daily from 6pm to 7pm, gave Ugandan sports fans the ‘Mark and Allan’ staple ahead of the 2002 Fifa World Cup in Korea and Japan. Ssali was into analysis while Ssekamatte was unmatched on fixtures and scores.
His ability to field and answer any question about any league earned him a devoted following among sports enthusiasts and bettors, and made him a familiar and respected voice in Ugandan sports media.
He was also a prominent sports columnist with the Daily Monitor, where his analysis and opinion pieces earned a loyal readership.Allan was also a jack of all trades and a master of all .One time the management at Daily Monitor made him to head the education desk which many thought he did not have an edge ,but being a genius Allan proved them wrongly .He performed exceedingly well.
Ssekamatte’s columns were noted for their depth, sharp insight, and ability to contextualize developments in local leagues, national teams, and football administration, often providing clarity on complex sporting issues.