•Mbugi’s diminutive stature not withstanding many agree that the playmaker born and raised in Huruma did not really live up to his potential
•Mbugi commends coach Stanley Okumbi, who gave him his International debut in 2016 having previously featured in the Under-20 team under coach Rishadu Shedu and Under-23 under the tutelage of James Nandwa.
Just like Ronaldinho Gaucho’s ever present toothy grin, Posta Rangers captain Joseph Mbugi face is plastered with a smile every time he is on the pitch, leaving no doubt about his love for football.
“I always smile because first of all football is just a game and not a war and so you have to enjoy it. So, I enjoy playing football and when you play with a smile, you are able to accept the results no matter the outcome,” the 32-year-old Mbugi said as he started the conversation with his trademark grin.
Beneath that smile, however, is a steely determination to win. How else then could he be a regular starter in a title-winning side like Tusker if he did not possess the will, desire and endurance to convince different coaches that he could do the job?
Mbugi’s diminutive stature not withstanding many agree that the playmaker born and raised in Huruma did not really live up to his potential.
Mbugi’s diminutive stature not withstanding, many agree that the playmaker born and raised in Huruma did not really live up to his full potential. His International career was not outstanding and he once missed an opportunity to play professional football in Sweden.
“My biggest disappointment was not playing professionally because I remember I got a chance to travel to Sweden for trials. Football agent Arnold Kanyagonda wanted me and Teddy Akumu after scouting us at City Stadium in a league match. Inexplicably, I did not follow up and I believe I blew away my chance of playing abroad. Nonetheless, I still I enjoyed my time locally,” he recounted.
Mbugi commends coach Stanley Okumbi, who gave him his International debut in 2016 having previously featured in the Under-20 team under coach Rishadu Shedu and Under-23 under the tutelage of James Nandwa.
His love affair with football blossomed from a very early age so much so that he disregarded his father’s advise to go to a boarding school in order to fulfill his nascent ambitions.
“I disappointed my old man very much because he wanted me to go to a school Siakago Boys High School in Embu. I obliged but only for me to feign sickness after a week in order to return home because I wanted to be selected for the MYSA team that was to travel to Norway under the guidance of coach Gabriel Kingi Njoroge,” recalled Mbugi.
The play-maker nicknamed Capello, a sheng corruption of captain, continued: “My dad was against me playing football. Like most parents, he wanted me to focus on my studies but I went against his wish and ended up traveling to Norway. He was so livid and he refused to pay my fees forthwith.”
Luckily for Mbugi, his performances and discipline in the Norway Cup, where he watched Manchester United train as well as Liverpool pre- season friendly against Norwegian giants Rosenborg, pleased the MYSA hierarchy and got awarded Mysa scholarship that saw him through secondary school and later received a Diploma in ICT. “Today, my dad is proud. I had to dedicate myself to excel in football so as not to let him down after the sacrifices he had made for me,” Mbugi said.
The two-time Kenyan Premier League champion with Tusker honed his skills in the dusty Huruma ‘Dragon’ grounds, where a host of Kenyan Internationals—Mulama brothers (Simon and Titus) and George Midenyo also called home. “What inspired me to take football as a career first of all is my love of the game. I loved and still love football. All my childhood was all about football,” he remarked.
“Where I was raised, football was part and parcel of every child’s life! nothing else was on our mind,” narrated Mbugi.
“Also watching great players like the Mulamas, Wycliffe Juma, Midenyo, Ezekiel Akwana and many more piqued my interest even further,” he continued.
It was, however, a chance to be a ball boy in a Moi Golden match—pitting his favourite side Mathare United against Eldoret KCC that made him firmly believe that a career in football was all that he desired.
“I was 10 years old when I got an opportunity to be a ball boy in the Moi Golden cup in 1998. That game left a lot of impression on me. I had the opportunity to shake the hand of the late former President Moi. That was a significant moment having greeted the President, who the closest i had come to him was watch him on TV and or see his pictures in newspapers. Without any doubt, this proved to me that indeed if you play football, you can meet ‘big men,” Mbugi recounted with a laugh and a sense of accomplishment.
This was the first time he had ventured into at the Moi International Sports Centre (MISC), Karasani but it was not going to be the last.
“Inwardly, I vowed that I would go back to that magnificent pitch not as a ball boy but as a player,” he recalled. His vow would come true in 2005 when he made his top-flight debut against Mumias FC.
“My break came when I played my first Kenya Premier League game back in 2005 at the age of 18 for Mathare Youth against Mumias. I played in the whole match and I remember my debut with pride because Mumias was one of the best teams then with among others Harambee Stars player Mark Serengo in the line-up. It was no mean feat,” he said.
“This affirmed my belief that I can play at the top if I work hard, be disciplined and stayed focus.Thanks to coach Gabriel Kingi for giving me my debut in top flight football,”added the playmaker.
Success at club level would follow in quick succession upon his move to Tusker. In Ruaraka, he won back-to-back KPL titles with current Posta coach Sammy Omollo in 2011 and a year later with Robert Matano.
“My top achievement was winning the KPL twice. At least I fullfilled my ambition because it’s not any player who wins the championship. I also had an opportunity of playing in the Caf Champions League. It’s truly an honour I will forever cherish. Featuring in Cecafa Club Championship, winning the KPL Super Cup and finishing runners up in GOtv Shield are some of my career highs,” noted Mbugi.
The midfielder hails the influence coaches like his youth tactician Joseph ‘Jossy’ Jagero, Omollo and Zedekiah Zico Otieno had on him.
Omollo took him to Mahakama and later to Tusker where they won the 2011 KPL title while Zedekiah ‘Zico’ Otieno guided him well at Posta and he believes he is one of the best coaches in the country.
Upon retirement, Mbugi would like to spend more time with his wife Elizabeth Owino and son Lahm Nyaga and also give back his knowledge of the game, just the way he benefited from the experience of others.
“May be one day you will see me on the touchline as a coach. Also by virtue of being an ICT graduate and working at Postal Corporation of Kenya, I can now put into practice my ICT knowledge in the office fully,” he hopes.
Name: Joseph MbugiDOB: February 2, 1986
Place of Birth: Embu
Nationality: KenyanPosition: Midfielder
Weight: 64kgHeight: 6ft
Parents: Gabriel Nyaga and Juliet Muthoni
Siblings: Stella, Nancy, Lucy, Peter, Ann and Caroline
Wife: Elizabeth Owino MbugiSon: Lahm Nyaga Mbugi
EDUCATION
1991- 1999: Ndururuno primary school
2001: Siakago Boys High School
2001 -2004: Pumwani High School.
CLUBS
2003- 2008: Mathare Youth FC 2005: Help Mathare Youth to be promoted to KPL
2009: Mahakama FC2010: Rangers FC
2011: Tusker FC (won KPL title)
2011: National Under-23 team team
2011: Partcipated in Cecafa Club Championship
2011: Featured in Caf Champions League
2012: Won Kenyan Premier League (Tusker)
2012: Won Super Cup (Tusker)
2015: Runners up GOtv Shield (Posta Rangers)
2017: Featured for the national team
2013 -2020: Posta Rangers
Name: Joseph Mbugi
DOB: February 2, 1986
Place of Birth: Embu
Nationality: Kenyan
Position: Midfielder
Weight: 64kg
Height: 6ft
Parents: Gabriel Nyaga and Juliet Muthoni
Siblings: Stella, Nancy, Lucy, Peter, Ann and Caroline
Wife: Elizabeth Owino Mbugi
Son: Lahm Nyaga Mbugi
EDUCATION
1991- 1999: Ndururuno primary school
2001: Siakago Boys High School
2001 -2004: Pumwani High School.
CLUBS
2003- 2008: Mathare Youth FC
2005: Help Mathare Youth to be promoted to KPL
2009: Mahakama FC
2010: Rangers FC
2011: Tusker FC (won KPL title)
2011: National Under-23 team team
2011: Partcipated in Cecafa Club Championship
2011: Featured in Caf Champions League
2012: Won Kenyan Premier League (Tusker)
2012: Won Super Cup (Tusker)
2015: Runners up GOtv Shield (Posta Rangers)
2017: Featured for the national team
2013 -2020: Posta Rangers