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Efforts to locate the missing forward have thus far been in vain, and club officials have been unable to determine the reason behind his sudden departure.
KCCA FC Congolese striker Tshisungu Kankonde has intimated in a leaked WhatsApp chat with his girlfriend that he will eventually ‘return to the club’ rather than force a move away.
Kankonde is embroiled in an episode of drama, with Pulse Sports reports that the striker has been absent from the club for four days without official leave.
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Pulse Sports understands that the Congolese-born had been named in KCCA FC's starting lineup before Sunday's FUFA Super 8 3rd/4th playoff game against SC Villa.
But he did not show up for the game, forcing head coach Sergio Traguil to make changes, as KCCA went on to win 3-2 last Saturday.
Efforts to locate the missing forward have thus far been in vain, and club officials have been unable to determine the reason behind his sudden departure.
Pulse Sports has gathered screenshots from the conversation, where the Congolese nonchalantly explains his absence, explaining that he will eventually ‘return to work’, quashing rumors of a move to Vipers SC.
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12:11 - 07.09.2023
FOOTBALL KCCA FC striker goes AWOL amidst heavy links to Vipers
Gangly forward Tshisungu Kankonde is nowhere to be seen, having gone away without official leave for four days now.
The chat with the lady who is understood to be a KCCA FC fan, begins with the girlfriend sharing a link from a Pulse Sports story detailing the uncertainties surrounding Kankonde’s future.
To which Kankonde replies with a laughing emoji. The girlfriend then seeks clarification: "So, these guys said that you left KCC [KCCA]?"
In a direct and unambiguous riposte, Kankonde asserted, "I haven't left. I'll be returning to work."
The dialogue continued with his girlfriend's declaration of support and plea: "We want you."
Kankonde, in a gesture of reassurance, responded with a promise: "I will be back madam… I am sure I will come back."
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Reports indicate that Kankonde is not considered to be central to Traguil’s plans for next season, with the two not particularly seeing eye to eye.
The relationship between the two is said to have been rocky since the Portuguese coach made it clear to the striker that he will have to work hard to take a place in his team.
Kankonde is said to be trying to force a move to Vipers, with the Venoms’ assistant coach Lukusa Kayembe Raoul, Kankonde's compatriot, understood to be engineering the move.
But the gangly forward is still contracted with the Lugogo-based side until June 2024.
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Kankonde joined KCCA FC at the start of the 2022 season but struggled for form, managing seven goals across all competitions.
In May, the 23-year-old was handed an eight-game ban after the FUFA Competitions Disciplinary panel reprimanded him for throwing a punch to center referee Mashood Ssali in the closely contested league game against Vipers at St. Mary's Stadium Kitende.
The suspension means that he will miss the opening four games of the StarTimes Uganda Premier League after serving the four games towards the end of last season.
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