Three years ago, Gasogi United were an ordinary team that was either finishing in the mid-table or even fighting to avoid relegation. This season is pretty different for the team that finished the first round of Rwanda Premier League sitting fourth, two points behind table leaders AS Kigali and Kiyovu, an indication of how far they have gone to prove their title credentials. Gasogi were promoted to the top flight league after defeating Sorwathe 2-1 on aggregate in the semifinals. That marked the beginning of the journey to a terrain in which they have now become a force to reckon with. That promotion feat was achieved by then head coach Marcel Lomami who also spearheaded Gorilla FC to the elite division to become the first coach to propel two different teams to the Premier League in two consecutive years. Gasogi came to the top flight league hungry of success but reality on the pitch proved different results. Their maiden season had not been as impressive as planned after they finished ninth on the league table with 29 points. The team also struggled in their second season which was marred by the covid19 pandemic. Finishing second in the bottom eight of the league was a fair position for a team whose proprietor, Charles Nkuriza Kakooza (KNC), was struggling for finances given that a number of businesses that he was running were halted due to the pandemic. KNC has over the past seasons established himself as a man of mind games which he sometimes used to mentally destroy opposing teams prior to the matches. He would always say that his team can beat anyone. However, results on the pitch have been showing the opposite as the team finished 11th with 34 points last season. It’s a disappointing campaign that KNC blamed for poor refereeing to the point that he threatened to withdraw his team out of the league. Gasogi has been pushing for success but in vain and it hurt KNC who was hungry for results. He is a man who is very impatient with coaches who don’t deliver. The likes of Congolese Guy Bukasa, Andre Casa Mbungo and Egyptian Adel Mohammed were fired due to poor run of results. Adel was in October 2022 fired just after three months on the club’s hot seat after losing to AS Kigali and then bottom placed Rwamagana City. When you coach Gasogi, only one defeat is enough for you to start feeling the pressure. Even the club’s new head coach Paul Kiwanuka must be aware of it despite his side being in fine form. Gasogi failed to live up to expectations during the past three seasons but the team is proving their mettle this season as they sit in 4th position after the first round. KNC brought in Uganda coach Kiwanuka as head coach on an interim basis in November to fix problems left by Adel and things are now going well for his side. The boys have now started to believe that even the title is in their sights despite challenges from table toppers AS Kigali, defending champions APR and Rayon Sports who want to end their three-year title jinx, not forgetting Kiyovu who still dream of winning their first title in 30 years. Gasogi are having their best season ever in the Premier League and the fact that they defeated Kiyovu 3-1, Police 2-0 and 1-0 against Rayon while they held APR to a goalless draw showed how hungry they are for glory this season. They also beat Musanze 1-0 at Ubworoherane Stadium at which the likes of APR and Rayon failed to survive in recent years. AS Kigali are the only team to have beaten Gasogi through Shabani Hussein Tshabalala’s strike in open play. Gasogi are increasingly becoming a club worth dying for as they honor their heroes. In July 2022, they retired their number 5 jersey in honor of Liberian midfielder Herron Berrian Scarla who had been with them for three years before he left the club. The title is too early to decide but Gasogi have shown their title credentials. They have exhibited quality football and, with the likes of Christian Malipangou, Maxwell Njoumekou, Guy Bahati and Guy Ngono in top form, a top three finish would no doubt be the least Gasogi would achieve.
