Wilma Asiimwe, the Cambridge Senate president, has been part of Taibah International School’s netball team in all the five editions of the Taibah Independence Sports Tournament including that 11-7 victory over Trinity Senior Academy in the 2025 final.
However, that was the only trophy Taibah won last year, yet they came into the tournament as defending champions of three titles: in Under 15 football, Under 20 football and girls’ basketball.
Now Asiimwe, who plays centre, said the hosts are ready to retain their netball trophy and win more in the weekend championship starting Saturday and ends October 3.
There’s evidence to that optimism. ‘Last year, we used to train on Monday, Wednesday and Friday, but this year we train every day, except Tuesday,’ said netballer Hannah Siduda at the tournament launch on Tuesday. ‘We had two coaches; now we have three. And I think they are giving us enough to enable us to retain the trophy.”
Basketballer Escriva Musha is equally optimistic: ‘We are putting in the work. We won’t just reach the finals. But we are going to emerge victorious,’ he vowed. Wilma Charles is also plotting to help the girls’ team win the basketball title again.
Unlike before, training started in the second term. Rayyan Bwanika, the Cambridge sports senator, says the coaches are dedicated to making the Under 15 and Under 20 football team reach the farthest. ‘I believe we can bring the trophies home,’ the left winger said.
New disciplines
Mixed volleyball-where girls and boys played on the same team-has been amended. Now girls and boys will compete in separate categories.
Also new is athletics, with participants expected to showcase talent in 100m, 400m and respective relays. Expect some thrilling action here.
Sharing skills, experiences
Melisa Ineeza, the UNEB senate president, will play in the chess tournament and strongly believes her comrades will put their best foot forward for glory across disciplines. Some have graduated into elite sport here and abroad. Yet this annual tournament, contested by schools mostly from the Bwebajja-Mpala area, is premised on more than just excellence on courts and pitches.
Asiimwe, the Cambridge senate president, testifies that Taibah students learn sporting skills from the other students. Likewise, the visitors learn from their hosts, ‘which paints a good image of the school and the students in general. I believe that’s the strongest impact of the independence tournament,’ she said.
‘It’s good when our students mix with their less privileged counterparts in the area,’ principal Oskar Semweya-Musoke reiterated.
DISCIPLINES
Football U15, U20
Football girls
Volleyball boys, girls
Netball
Basketball U15, U20
Basketball girls
Athletics