Emmanuel Okwi


Emmanuel Arnold Okwi is a Ugandan professional footballer who plays as a left winger for Rwanda Premier League club Kiyovu Sports.

Club career

Okwi played for Uganda Super League club SC Villa before joining Tanzanian team Simba S.C. for US$40,000.
In January 2013, Tunisian team Étoile Sportive du Sahel signed Okwi for a Tanzania record transfer fee of US$300,000. The team, however, failed to pay the fee to Simba S.C. He was then cleared by FIFA's Player Status Committee in December 2013 to return to SC Villa although the clearance was changed two months later so he could play for Young Africans S.C., despite Simba S.C.'s protests.
Okwi rejoined Simba S.C. in August 2014 under a six-month contract, explaining that Young Africans S.C. had terminated his contract by failing to pay the US$50,000 owed to him. Okwi refused to play the last five games of the 2013–14 season for Young Africans because of the payment controversy. Young Africans vigorously protested the transfer to Simba S.C. and claimed that the contract was still in effect. The Tanzania Football Federation rejected that claim in September 2014.
In July 2015, SønderjyskE Fodbold signed Okwi on a five-year contract, with the consent of Simba S.C., that would last until 2020. In January 2017, Okwi and agreed to terminate the contract. He scored two goals in six appearances.
Upon his return from Denmark Okwi re-joined former club SC Villa signing a six-month contract. He scored 10 goals in 13 Uganda Premier League matches.
In June 2017, Okwi signed with Simba S.C. for the third time in his career having agreed a two-year contract.
In July 2019, after impressing at the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations, Okwi joined Egyptian Premier League club Al Ittihad on a two-year contract.
In August 2024, he re-joined former club Kiyovu Sports on a one-year contract.

International career

Okwi first represented Uganda at senior level in 2009. He was the second top scorer at the 2010 CECAFA Cup, scoring a four goals in five matches. The following year at the 2011 CECAFA Cup, he scored five goals and was joint top scorer alongside Rwanda's Meddie Kagere and their captain Olivier Karekezi.

Personal life

Okwi grew up idolizing Thierry Henry and is a fan of Arsenal F.C. Okwi was born into a Roman Catholic family, but at a young age, his mother became a Born Again Christian and raised her children in her faith. Okwi married his longtime girlfriend Florence Nakalegga with whom they have one child. Okwi played football as a boy while at St. Henry's College Kitovu.

Career statistics

International

No.DateVenueOpponentScoreResultCompetition
113 December 2009Nyayo National Stadium, Nairobi, Kenya2–02–02009 CECAFA Cup
22 December 2010Benjamin Mkapa National Stadium, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania1–11–12010 CECAFA Cup
35 December 2010Benjamin Mkapa National Stadium, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania1–02–12010 CECAFA Cup
48 December 2010Benjamin Mkapa National Stadium, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania2–12–22010 CECAFA Cup
512 December 2010Benjamin Mkapa National Stadium, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania2–24–32010 CECAFA Cup
628 November 2011Chamazi Stadium, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania2–04–02011 CECAFA Cup
728 November 2011Chamazi Stadium, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania3–04–02011 CECAFA Cup
828 November 2011Chamazi Stadium, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania4–04–02011 CECAFA Cup
98 December 2011Benjamin Mkapa National Stadium, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania2–13–12011 CECAFA Cup
1010 December 2011Benjamin Mkapa National Stadium, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania2–22–22011 CECAFA Cup
113 June 2012Estádio 11 de Novembro, Luanda, Angola1–11–12014 FIFA World Cup qualification
1216 June 2012Mandela National Stadium, Kampala, Uganda4–04–02013 Africa Cup of Nations qualification
136 December 2012Mandela National Stadium, Kampala, Uganda1–03–02012 CECAFA Cup
1415 June 2013Mandela National Stadium, Kampala, Uganda1–12–12014 FIFA World Cup qualification
1531 August 2013Botswana National Stadium, Gaborone, Botswana1–03–1Friendly
1631 August 2013Botswana National Stadium, Gaborone, Botswana2–03–1Friendly
172 December 2013Nairobi City Stadium, Nairobi, Kenya1–03–02013 CECAFA Cup
182 December 2013Nairobi City Stadium, Nairobi, Kenya3–03–02013 CECAFA Cup
1931 August 2017Mandela National Stadium, Kampala, Uganda1–01–02018 FIFA World Cup qualification
2013 October 2018Mandela National Stadium, Kampala, Uganda1–03–02019 Africa Cup of Nations qualification
2113 October 2018Mandela National Stadium, Kampala, Uganda3–03–02019 Africa Cup of Nations qualification
2222 June 2019Cairo International Stadium, Cairo, Egypt2–02–02019 Africa Cup of Nations
2326 June 2019Cairo International Stadium, Cairo, Egypt1–01–12019 Africa Cup of Nations
248 September 2019Moi International Sports Centre, Nairobi, Kenya1–01–1Friendly
2513 October 2019Bahir Dar Stadium, Bahir Dar, Ethiopia1–01–0Friendly
2617 November 2019Mandela National Stadium, Kampala, Uganda1–02–02021 Africa Cup of Nations qualification
2725 March 2022Markaziy Stadium, Namangan, Uzbekistan1–01–12022 Nowruz Cup
2829 March 2022Markaziy Stadium, Namangan, Uzbekistan2–42–42022 Nowruz Cup