BY GRACE LINDSAY MBABAZI
In a night well lit with the royalty and gods of Ugandan rugby, Serena Gardens laid a victory parade from the present to the past.
The present whistled the names of Pius Ogena and Peace Lekuru who emerged the Most Valuable Player Men and Women 2023, respectively at the Uganda Rugby Awards 2023.
Peace Lekuru, the valiant captain steering Team Uganda through the glory of the Safari Sevens in kenya , not only claimed the ethereal titles of Top Try Scorer and Most Valuable Player but also illuminated the women’s category with an undeniable radiance.
On the tapestry of men’s rugby, Pius Ogena, the maestro of the Kobs and the Uganda Rugby Cranes, etched his name in starlight. With 22 tries adorning his journey, he embraced the Top Try Scorer accolade for both league and Kobs.
His acceptance speech echoed gratitude: ‘To my teammates who forged my path and the Almighty God, I offer thanks for this moment.’
For Lekuru, she delighted in the moment with a brief roar
The lights further illuminated the best servants. Shakim Ssembusi, the rising luminary among men; Grace Nabaggala, a burgeoning star on the women’s horizon; Umar Balikanda, the guardian of fairness on the rugby stage, Marvin Odong, orchestrator of domestic rugby’s symphony, Fred Mudoola, a coaching maestro, Michael Wandera, the guardian guiding teams through cosmic battles, Faith Kiai, whose painted rugby stories on celestial canvases, John Torach, the voice resonating rugby tales on the frequencies , Grace Lindsay Mbabazi, a digital scribe, imprinting rugby’s journey in the archives; Hassan Wamwayi, the lens genius capturing timeless rugby moments; Winnie Atyang, irrigating the growth of women’s rugby; Traton Nyakato, the architect of rugby’s western realms; Jinja Hippos, the custodians of fair play; Ivan Magomu and Charlotte Mudoola, the bearers of the Golden Boot, Emily Lekuru, the enchantress of the Central Women’s 7s, scripting endless tales on the try line.
A night were Rugby colours painted adoringly, the red carpet was rolled as the galaxy of the past matched on like a cosmic ballet.
The luminaries who graced the rugby cosmos with their brilliance painted that indeed brilliance is timeless.
