Timing is everything!
The administration of Kawempe Muslim Secondary School left it late but they chose the right time to recognise their girls’ school football team for their efforts over the last six years.
“Small tokens of appreciation look unpleasant to the eyes but they help motivate and build strong bonds,” the school headteacher Hajati Zulaika Kibirige said, borrowing from a Luganda proverb, as she rewarded the players – particularly those that represented the school and finished second in girls’ football at the 2025 Federation of East Africa Secondary School Sports Association (Feasssa) Games in Kakamega in August – with Hisense 32 inch LED television screens.
This was during a function held at the campus and presided over by titular head of Muslims in Uganda Prince Kassim Nakibinge to bid farewell to old school board (2019-2025) and usher in the new one for the next five years. The debate team that includes school head prefect Hussein Kabogoza, Fahad Musasizi, and Janat Firidaus and is tutored by Ziriya Nakyejjwe was also recognized for winning the East Africa Schools Debating Championships in Arusha early last month.
In the period 2019-2025; Kawempe finished third at the 2024 Caf U-14 African Schools Championship in Zanzibar thereby winning $150,000 (about Shs550m) and topped the Cecafa zonal qualifiers for the aforementioned tournament in 2023 thereby winning $100,000 (about Shs370m). They also won at the Feasssa Games in 2019 (Arusha) and 2023 (Huye). Kawempe will again represent Uganda in the Cecafa Schools tournament later in the year after winning the national qualifiers in Tororo in July.
Domestically, Kawempe also won the girls’ football titles at the Uganda Secondary Schools Sports Association (USSSA) Games in 2019 and 2024, Uganda Muslim Education Association (Umea) Games for the last four years consecutively, and many more.
Motivation for the league
Part of this school team also feeds into the renowned Kawempe Muslim side that plays in the Fufa Women Super League (FWSL) and won that national title in the 2023/24 season. Others play for the side that competes in the second tier Elite League (FWEL) and is attached to Uganda Revenue Authority.
The 2023/24 feat earned the Ayub Khalifa-coached side a place at the Caf Women’s Champions League qualifiers in Ethiopia in 2024, where they finished third.
The 2025/26 FWSL season kicks off on Friday and Khalifa admits that “a surprise appreciation package came in handy” for his side that is preparing to take on rivals and current champions Kampala Queens (KQ) in their league opener at home.
“We are happy to see that our efforts are appreciated. It is another reason to keep giving everything we have on pitch for the school team and club,” talisman Agnes Nabukenya, said.
Some of the players were joined at the function by their parents. Dorcus Kisakye’s mother Jane Nakaziba sells banana leaves in Owino and “cannot believe how far football has taken my daughter, travelling beyond my dreams, from one country to another.”
Zoena Kampi’s father Ali Waiswa, a lecturer at Kyambogo University, said “the new set will resolve quarrels for television at home” while Shadia Nabirye’s father, Meddie Musomerwa said “our story starts at Kawempe and I will die supporting it,” despite his older daughter Shakirah Nankwanga moving from the school to KQ in June 2024.
Task at hand
The outgoing board led by Hajji Hasib Takuba Kabuye celebrated sucesses from their five-year strategic plan that include; infrastructure development in terms of a new dormitory for the girls, completing the Science block and renovating the administration block, plus working with its alumni to modify the gate.
The school, which has maintained a great academic standard in Kampala’s top three and Uganda’s top 15, has also acquired neighbouring lands for expansion
“The memorable parts of our leaderships included the change of leadership (from former headteacher Hajji Bruhane Mugerwa), acquiring lands – about three to four acres to develop, and putting up a sports policy that allowed us to support the girls better (with scholarships and putting them in competitions at all possible levels).
“Now I am hoping that the school playground will be turned into a stadium. We have some money and also won some (from Caf) to do this,” Hajji Takuba said challenging the new board led by Makerere University educationist Muhammad Kiggungu Musoke.
The headteacher stressed that they indeed “plan to set up one of the best stadiums in Kawempe division and probably the country” but are “yet to receive the funds from Caf” and “are in constant communication with Fufa incase of any developments.”