St Mary’s Senior Secondary School Kitende has officially returned to the Elite Games after a three year absence and will feature in the seventh edition that begins this Friday at Janaan School in Bombo.
The 2026 draws were conducted at the Uganda Secondary Schools Sports Association offices in Old Kampala, confirming the long awaited comeback of one of the country’s traditional sports powerhouses.
Kitende’s return is expected to raise the level of competition across multiple disciplines, with schools set to compete in football, basketball, volleyball, rugby sevens, handball and netball. The Elite Games bring together top sporting schools and serve as preparation for national and regional championships.
In a move seen as part of a wider rebuild, Kitende has strengthened its technical bench by recruiting from rivals Buddo Secondary School. Sports tutor Marion Atwegyeise has switched sides, while former St Noah Girls basketball coach Huzaifa Ssentongo has also joined the Kitende setup.
Speaking after the 2026 Elite draws, Atwegyeise made the school’s intentions clear.
“As St Mary’s kitende we have come back to claim our crown back and all teams should know that we have not come to just compete but to win”, says ATWEGYEISE MARION, Sports Tutor, SMASK.
Their resurgence sets up an immediate rivalry with Buddo SS, one of the consistent performers at the Games. Buddo games teacher Mugide Sharon responded with equal confidence.
“We as Buddo Secondary School, we are going to defend our time and the team is ready to compete and beat any team including St Mary’s kitende”, says MUGIDE SHARON, Games Teacher, Buddo SS.
With both schools trading bold statements before a ball has been kicked, the seventh edition of the Elite Games is shaping up as one of the most competitive in recent years, with Kitende’s comeback widely viewed as a potential turning point in the balance of power in secondary school sport.
