# Handwalla Bwana

Handwalla Bwana (born June 25, 1999) is a Somali professional footballer who plays as a winger for USL League One club Tormenta FC.

## Early life

Bwana was born a Somali refugee in Mombasa, Kenya, spending the first six years of his childhood at a refugee camp in Kakuma in northwestern Kenya. His family resettled in the United States in 2010, initially in Atlanta, but later in Seattle, where he attended Ballard High School. Bwana said "I fell in love with the game because my dad played it. My dad was a professional in Somalia". Describing how his childhood shaped him as a player, Bwana has stated that "playing with a garbage ball...made me better with my feet".

## Career

Bwana joined the Seattle Sounders FC Academy in 2015. On September 11, 2015, Bwana made his professional debut for USL club Seattle Sounders FC 2 in a 1–0 defeat to the Orange County Blues. He spent two seasons at the University of Washington.
Bwana was signed by the Sounders MLS side as a Homegrown Player on January 11, 2018. Bwana made his debut for the club against expansion side Los Angeles FC as a substitute on March 4, 2018, an appearance which included a shot from outside the box that hit the crossbar. He started Seattle's CONCACAF Champions League quarterfinal tie against Mexican club Chivas three days later, but did not appear in the second leg in Guadalajara, as Seattle lost 3–1 on aggregate. Bwana started his first MLS game against FC Dallas on March 18, 2018, a 3–0 defeat. His first goal was on May 9, 2018, the game winner against Toronto FC, and scored again a week later against Orlando City SC.
The Sounders traded Bwana to Nashville SC on October 21, 2020, in exchange for Jimmy Medranda and $225,000 of General Allocation Money.
On August 19, 2022, Bwana joined USL Championship side Memphis 901 on loan for the remainder of the 2022 season.
On January 10, 2023, Bwana and Nashville mutually agreed to part ways. The following day, the player officially joined USL Championship side Charleston Battery on a free transfer. After missing the entire season due to injury, he left Charleston following the 2023 season.
Bwana signed with Tormenta FC of USL League One in January 2025.

## Career statistics
### Club

    As of match played 30 November 2020
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition :
| Club | Season | League | League | League | National Cup | National Cup | Continental | Continental | Other | Other | Total | Total |
| Club | Season | Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals |
| Seattle Sounders FC 2 | 2015 | USL | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | 0 |
| Seattle Sounders FC 2 | 2016 | USL | 5 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 5 | 0 |
| Seattle Sounders FC 2 | 2018 | USL | 4 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 4 | 0 |
| Tacoma Defiance | 2019 | USL | 6 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 6 | 1 |
| Tacoma Defiance | 2020 | USL | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 0 | 0 |
| Tacoma Defiance | Total | Total | 16 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 16 | 1 |
| Seattle Sounders FC | 2018 | MLS | 12 | 2 | — | — | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 14 | 2 |
| Seattle Sounders FC | 2019 | MLS | 15 | 1 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 0 | 0 | 16 | 1 |
| Seattle Sounders FC | 2020 | MLS | 5 | 1 | — | — | 0 | 0 | — | — | 5 | 1 |
| Seattle Sounders FC | Total | Total | 32 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 35 | 4 |
| Nashville SC | 2020 | MLS | 2 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 2 | 0 | 4 | 0 |
| Career total | Career total | Career total | 50 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 55 | 5 |

## Honours

Seattle Sounders FC
* MLS Cup: 2019