Emmanuel Okwi


Emmanuel Arnold Okwi is a Ugandan professional footballer who plays as a left winger for Egyptian club Al Ittihad Alexandria Club and the Uganda national team.

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.

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

International goals

No.DateVenueOpponentScoreResultCompetition
1.13 December 2009Nyayo National Stadium, Nairobi, Kenya
2–0
2–0
2009 CECAFA Cup
2.2 December 2010Benjamin Mkapa National Stadium, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
1–1
1–1
2010 CECAFA Cup
3.5 December 2010Benjamin Mkapa National Stadium, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
1–0
2–1
2010 CECAFA Cup
4.8 December 2010Benjamin Mkapa National Stadium, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
2–1
2–2
2010 CECAFA Cup
5.12 December 2010Benjamin Mkapa National Stadium, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
2–2
4–3
2010 CECAFA Cup
6.28 November 2011Chamazi Stadium, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
2–0
4–0
2011 CECAFA Cup
7.28 November 2011Chamazi Stadium, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
3–0
4–0
2011 CECAFA Cup
8.28 November 2011Chamazi Stadium, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
4–0
4–0
2011 CECAFA Cup
9.8 December 2011Benjamin Mkapa National Stadium, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
2–1
3–1
2011 CECAFA Cup
10.10 December 2011Benjamin Mkapa National Stadium, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
2–2
2–2
2011 CECAFA Cup
11.3 June 2012Estádio 11 de Novembro, Luanda, Angola
1–1
1–1
2014 FIFA World Cup qualification
12.16 June 2012Mandela National Stadium, Kampala, Uganda
4–0
4–0
2013 Africa Cup of Nations qualification
13.6 December 2012Mandela National Stadium, Kampala, Uganda
1–0
3–0
2012 CECAFA Cup
14.15 June 2013Mandela National Stadium, Kampala, Uganda
1–1
2–1
2014 FIFA World Cup qualification
15.31 August 2013Botswana National Stadium, Gaborone, Botswana
1–0
3–1
Friendly
16.31 August 2013Botswana National Stadium, Gaborone, Botswana
2–0
3–1
Friendly
17.2 December 2013Nairobi City Stadium, Nairobi, Kenya
1–0
3–0
2013 CECAFA Cup
18.2 December 2013Nairobi City Stadium, Nairobi, Kenya
3–0
3–0
2013 CECAFA Cup
19.31 August 2017Mandela National Stadium, Kampala, Uganda
1–0
1–0
2018 FIFA World Cup qualification
20.13 October 2018Mandela National Stadium, Kampala, Uganda
1–0
3–0
2019 Africa Cup of Nations qualification
21.13 October 2018Mandela National Stadium, Kampala, Uganda
3–0
3–0
2019 Africa Cup of Nations qualification
22.22 June 2019Cairo International Stadium, Cairo, Egypt
2–0
2–0
2019 Africa Cup of Nations
23.26 June 2019Cairo International Stadium, Cairo, Egypt
1–0
1–1
2019 Africa Cup of Nations
24.8 September 2019Moi International Sports Centre, Nairobi, Kenya
1–0
1–1
Friendly
25.13 October 2019Bahir Dar Stadium, Bahir Dar, Ethiopia
1–0
1–0
Friendly
26.17 November 2019Mandela National Stadium, Kampala, Uganda
1–0
2–0
2021 Africa Cup of Nations qualification