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Jack of all trades: Meet this ambitious actor, rapper, paramedic, footballer and tout

By HILARY KIMUYU November 18th, 2018 2 min read

A new short film has been released about Varees Lukyamuzzi, who has seen it all, from racism in Europe to not being paid as a professional footballer.

The film focuses on this unconventional Ugandan player who has been in and out of the AFC Leopards first team.

Abu Nuuman, a Kenyan actor and poet, who made the film, said that he was moved by Varees passion for everything that he can do to survive because football was not paying.

ACTING

Abu sat down with the player to find what influenced his return, how settled he is in the Kenyan football system and why he chose East Africa over the more established West African region where football is a religion.

“I met him through an acting workshop and he grew on me and that is why I decided to document his life in this short film for COPA90,” Abu told Nairobi News.

The multi-talented Varees Lukyamuzzi. PHOTO | COURTESY
The multi-talented Varees Lukyamuzzi. PHOTO | COURTESY

Whilst trying to make it as a professional, Varees works as a bus conductor, raps, acts and is training to become a paramedic.

The fate of the African footballer playing in Africa, more often than not, comes with an added load of responsibility.

RACISM

Varees played football in Europe but opted to change the narrative of foreign exported talent by quitting and returning to Kenya to continue with his magic on the pitch.

“I went to Europe when I was 15 and joined ENKÖPINGS SK FOTBOLL academy and I did not know what racism was. One day I went in to the swimming pool and everyone jumped out,” said Varees.

His survival is only guaranteed by the extra jobs he manages to secure. Training drills here, only help boost bodies of budding footballers, who some, unfortunately, never get to actualise their hopes of regular participation in matches or decent wages.

Varees Lukyamuzzi hangs out with friends during a football match in Nairobi. PHOTO | COURTESY
Varees Lukyamuzzi hangs out with friends during a football match in Nairobi. PHOTO | COURTESY

DREAMING OF EUROPE

He adds that people think he is a familiar after he moved from Europe and back to Africa yet everyone is dreaming of going to Europe.

“The only person I knew was my agent and it was not easy.”

The 8 minute film was funded by our newly launched Creator Commissions initiative and published on COPA90 social media pages YouTube, Facebook and Twitter.

Each month, there is a grant of up to Sh130,000 from COPA90 which is accessible to any fan and filmmaker to tell a story they feel the football community should know about.