There was an air of inevitability at Kati Kati in Lugogo on Monday evening as some of the best performers of the 2026 Pepsi University Football League gathered to crown the season’s best.
Having been involved in eight goals in 10 matches for Muteesa 1 University Royal University on their way to claiming their first ever Pepsi University Football League title, Ali Lutwama was the outstanding player in the team.
He ended the evening as the standout player in the entire league too after winning the MVP accolade in addition to being named best midfielder and making the team of the season as Muteesa dominated the awards to cap a successful season.
‘I deserved to win the awards. The season was not difficult because as our assistant coach ssebowa often tells us if you train hard, you fight easy. So we trained hard and fought easy,’ Lutwama said after being handed the accolades by Sammy Odong, the Assistant Commissioner Physical Education and Sports at the Ministry of Education and Sports.
The attacking midfielder scored four goals and contributed four assists to complete the championship with the most assists and collect the Best Midfielder award as Muteesa dominated the awards with head coach George Williams Ssengabi also scooping the coach of the season accolade.
Lutwama believes the awards could be the launch pad for a successful career in the game.
“The awards will contribute greatly to my career and I am hoping these are not the last awards I win. I had not really set my mind on winning the awards but I usually set personal goals that I want to achieve on and off the pitch which has helped me win.God willing I will continue showcasing what I can do with the ball,” he added.
YMCA goalkeeper Ssebabulya Kevin finished second behind Lutwama with Uganda Martyrs University striker Obedgiu Ronald finishing third to complete the top three nominees for the MVP award.
Muteesa defeated YMCA Comprehensive Institute 1-0 in the final courtesy of a Sam Mutambo header to lift their maiden league trophy.
Other outstanding performers rewarded on the night included YMCA’s Kevin Ssenabulya who was named Best Goalkeeper, St. Lawrence University’s Vincent Agaku won Best Defender, and Uganda Martyrs University’s Ronald Obedgiu finished as the league’s top scorer with five goals.
UFL team of the season
Kevin Ssenabulya (GK)- (YMCA), Twaha Bukenya (Muteesa I Royal), Ambrose Anyaka (Ndejje University), Vincent Agaku (St. Lawrence), Jude Asiku (YMCA), David Okema (Kampala University), Gideon Nsubuga (Kampala University), Ali Lutwama (Muteesa I Royal University), Ronald Obedgiu (Uganda Martyrs University, Nkozi), David Aheebwa (MMU), Joel Olupot (Ndejje University)