St Mary’s Secondary School Kitende and Kawempe Muslim Secondary School, the champions of the CECAFA region in boys and girls football under fifteen respectively, were officially flagged off today at Cooper Chimney Lugogo.
The teams are set to compete in the CAF Pan African Schools Football Championship in Zanzibar, aiming for the top prize of $300,000.
The flag-off ceremony was presided over by Rev. Canon Duncan Mugumya, the Commissioner of Physical Education and Sports, who emphasized the importance of discipline and representing Uganda with pride. “Go and do your very best! I urge you to keep disciplined because whatever you do in Zanzibar will be credited to Uganda, not your schools,” Rev. Mugumya remarked.
David Katende, Assistant General Secretary of the National Council of Sports, highlighted the high expectations from the Ugandan teams. “Uganda is no longer a participant in international championships but a competitor. We only expect that you are going to give us good results because we know you are very talented,” Katende stated.
Hajji Lwembawo Hussein, the Leader of Delegation, praised the progress in international school sports engagements and expressed confidence in the teams’ abilities. “We are going there as champions, and we should come back as champions!” he declared.
Kawempe Muslim SS captain, Nabalanzi Tracy, conveyed her team’s readiness and confidence. “We have got enough from our coaches, we’re going to Zanzibar with no pressure, we’re the CECAFA region champions, we hope to be the champions again for the continent,” she said.
The two teams will depart on Sunday and Monday, with Kawempe Muslim and St Mary’s Kitende traveling respectively. The delegation consists of over 50 members, including players, officials, and representatives from the Uganda Secondary Schools Sports Association (USSSA) and other stakeholders.
