Lugazi’s Oliver Mbekeka is set to make history today as she takes charge of her first game as interim head coach, following the sacking of Sadiq Ssempigi last week.
Mbekeka’s appointment marks a significant milestone, as she becomes the first female head coach in Uganda Premier League (UPL) history.
The spotlight now shifts to Hamz Stadium, Nakivubo, where Lugazi faces Express in a crucial encounter.
The newly promoted Lugazi has struggled so far this season, failing to secure a win in their first five games, collecting just two points and sitting at the bottom of the UPL standings. 
Mbekeka, a former Crested Cranes player, hopes to lead the club to their first-ever UPL victory and, in doing so, write another chapter in Ugandan football history.
While her tenure as head coach remains uncertain, with reports suggesting that the club is close to finalizing a deal with Uganda Cranes legend David Obua as a permanent replacement for Ssempigi, Mbekeka is focused on the immediate task at hand, securing a positive result in today’s match.
Her rise in the coaching ranks is part of a broader movement of women breaking barriers in Ugandan men’s football.
In 2015, Faridah Bulega made history as the first female head coach of a men’s club when she took charge of Wakiso United in the Big League.
Mbekaka’s initial appointment as assistant coach at Lugazi earlier this season also made her the second female assistant coach in UPL history, after Kitara FC’s Sharon Achieng.
Today’s game presents Mbekeka with an opportunity not just to make history, but to potentially set the tone for a successful tenure with Lugazi, regardless of the club’s future decisions.
Football fans across the country will be watching closely to see how this historic moment unfolds.
