Uganda Cranes head coaches Morley Byekwaso and Fred Muhumuza have trimmed their CHAN 2024 squad from 41 to 29 players as the team entered its third week of non-residential training at Luzira Prisons Grounds.
The most notable omissions are NEC’s Paul Mucureezi and Vipers SC forward Milton Karisa, who has been ruled out due to injury.
Meanwhile, SC Villa midfielder Ronald Ssekiganda has been dropped as he finalises a move to Rwandan side APR, making him ineligible for CHAN, a tournament reserved exclusively for home-based players.
Their exits headline a list of 12 players cut from the initial squad that began preparations on June 23.
Others left out include defenders Enock Walusimbi and James Begisa of URA, David Owori (SC Villa), Jacob Okao (KCCA), midfielders Emmanuel Wasswa (Express), Saidi Mayanja (KCCA), Aslam Semakula (SC Villa), and forwards Charles Lwanga (SC Villa) and Baden Ogama (Maroons).
In Ssekiganda’s place, NEC midfielder Shamir Kimwero has earned a first-ever call-up to the senior national team, marking a major milestone in his career.
The remaining 29 players, who resumed training on Monday morning, are expected to form the core of the squad for the final selection ahead of Uganda’s 2024 African Nations Championship (CHAN) campaign, which the country will co-host with Kenya and Tanzania.
Among those retained are goalkeepers Joel Mutakubwa (BUL), Denis Kiggundu (Vipers SC), Hannington Ssebwalunyo (NEC), and Crispus Kusiima (Kitara).
They will receive additional mentorship this week from Uganda Cranes legend Denis Onyango, who has temporarily joined the team’s training sessions to work with the goalkeepers during his holiday.
Uganda is pooled in Group C alongside Algeria, Guinea, Niger, and South Africa. The Cranes will begin their campaign on Monday, August 4, against Algeria at Mandela National Stadium, Namboole.
Other group fixtures include Guinea on August 8, Niger on August 11, and South Africa on August 18, all kicking off at 8:00pm EAT.
The focus now shifts to fine-tuning tactics, improving match fitness, and building chemistry within the trimmed squad as Uganda targets a strong performance on home soil.
