The 2023/24 StarTimes Uganda Premier League climaxed on the pitch when SC Villa were crowned champions but there is still one more piece of business left to go.
An awards ceremony will take place this weekend on Saturday, June 29 at Sheraton Hotel, Kampala to officially conclude the season.
Ahead of the gala, we take a look at all the nominees in the six different categories from which the winners shall emerge.
The Players of the Season, Coach of the Season, Young Player of the Season, Goalkeeper of the Season, Defender of the Season, and Midfielder of the Season were set out for public voting.
The biggest award on the day is the Player of the Season Award and five players who were outstanding throughout the season found their names on the final shortlist.
SC Villa duo of Patrick Kakande and Ronald Ssekiganda were instrumental in the Jogoos’ success and their names are not a surprise.
KCCA’s Muhammad Shaban and Kitara’s Denis Omedi finished as the league’s leading goal scorer and runner-up with 17 and 15 goals, respectively and it would only have been surprising if they had not made the shortlist.
BUL defender Ronald Otti is the fourth nominee and he had a brilliant season with the Oil Manufacturers as they chased their maiden SUPL title all season long but could only manage the second position.
Furthermore, the title-winning coach Dusan Stojanovic is joined by Kitara’s Brian Ssenyondo and KCCA’s Abdallah Mubiru on the Coach of the Season shortlist with the former being the outright winner despite the other duo also doing well with their respective teams.
Villa midfielder Ssekiganda who is shortlisted for the Player of the Season Award also finds himself in a race for the Midfielder of the Season Award alongside KCCA’s Joel Sserunjogi and Maroon’s Abraham Tusubira who assisted more goals than any other player in the league.
Similarly, the 17-time SUPL champions’ attacker Kakande who is also a Player of the Season nominee like his teammate Ssekiganda, is also in the mix of the Young Player of the Season Award with KCCA’s Usama Arafat and Wakiso Giants’ Kenneth Kimera who recently joined Vipers.
Otti of BUL is the other player nominated twice for the Player of the Season Award and Defender of the Season Award, he is vying for the latter award with NEC’s Joseph Dhata and Villa’s title-winning captain Kenneth Ssemakula who has since left the club.
Meanwhile, for the Goalkeeper of the Season Award, BUL’s Tom Ikara, Kitara’s Chrispas Kusiima, and Maroons’ Hannington Ssebwalunyo are the nominated custodians, the former could have an edge with more clean sheets.
Amongst the teams whose players are shortlisted in the different categories, only NEC and Wakiso Giants have a single representative.
Villa are represented the most times, five and find themselves with at least a representative in all categories except the goalkeepers’ category.
KCCA have four representatives, three for Kitara, and two for Maroons, whilst BUL are represented by one player in two different categories.
It is worth mentioning that Shaban and Tusubira already have one award each after finishing the season as top scorer and king of assists, respectively.
The Other Categories That Will Be Rewarded
Players’ Player of the Season
Coaches’ Player of the Season
Fair Play Team of the Season
Best XI of the Season
Goal of the Season
Platinum Award
