Vipers SC defender Dan Birikwalira has declared he will return to the club and claim his position.
Birikwalira has spent two seasons away from the Venoms with first a loan move to Bright Stars in 2018 before another such transfer to Kyetume FC where he is currently.
He extended his Vipers contract by two more seasons in 2019 but an injury saw him shipped to Kyetume where his loan contract is expected to end when the currently suspended season culminates.
“I am returning to Vipers next season to continue winning titles. I must say, I am not going back to compete for a starting place because I have a place in the XI when I am there fully fit. Maybe the ones I will find there will compete for my place,” Birikwalira told Sporst256.
The left-back is a product of the club's youth system and has won two Ugandan Premier League (UPL) titles a Ugandan Super Cup and Uganda Cup titles since he joined the senior team.
Birikwalira says although the coronavirus pandemic has dealt a financial blow to the majority of the players, he and his family are doing good.
“I just miss returning to the pitch but financially I must tell the truth I am okay with my family as we can sustain our selves in this Covid-19 period,” he added.
“I personally used to save some money and even though some of the small businesses are not working following the president’s directives, at least my shop is working.”
Birikwalira, who has won the Masaza Cup, Fufa Drum, East African and National Schools Championships, Gothia and Norway Junior championships during his junior career, pointed out KCCA FC's midfielder Mike Mutyaba as an outstanding player he has played with.
“[Mike] Mutyaba is an exceptional player, it was by mistake that he was born in Uganda, he is just a ‘Raheem Sterling’ only that now his speed has reduced but he is the best of the many I have played with,” he added.
“I can talk of [Sadam] Juma another gifted player, [Eddy] Mubiru and [Eric] Sebuguzi were prolific strikers, [Saddala] Dumba, [Farouk] Miya and [Moses] Waiswa are other gifted players I can talk about.”
The defender also explained how Dr Lawrence Mulindwa, Vipers President, was of great help to him when he joined for the club in 2014.
“When I signed for Vipers, I proposed to [Lawrence] Mulindwa that I had wanted to build a house for myself and my mum and luckily enough he bought the idea and gave me Shs10m which I used to buy land in 2014.
“I first built for my mum a house and also built for myself as I plan to build a permanent home on the new acre of land I have purchased.”
Birikwalira, who fell under the pecking order during Javier Martinez Espinosa rein, also has Ashley Cole and Walusimbi Godfrey as his role models.