Pepsi UFL Awards: It’s not for ‘bukaceere’, Only Men of Substance are Nominated for Decade Accolades, List now Out

On Dec 5, 2022

Nominees for the Best of the Decade of the Pepsi University Football League have on 5th December been announced following nominations and a review by the technical committee.

The Pepsi University Football League first kicked off on 19th September 2012 and over the last 10 years several talents have emerged from the competition.

The best of these talents are to be recognized as part of the 10 year celebrations at the UFL Awards Gala on Wednesday 7th December 2022 at Imperial Royale Hotel.

Notable names that were in the limelight for the past ten years have been listed and Among those is the 2019 UFL winner with UCU, Derrick Were, current SC Villa defender, Gift Fred, Muzamir Mutyaba, Yasser Mugerwa and Owori Douglas.

Douglas Owori while still at Uganda Martyrs University (2016 top scorer with 8), (courtesy photo)

The nominees for the different categories are as follows:

Goalkeeper of the Decade
1. Were Derrick Emmanuel (UCU)
2. Kigonya Matthias (KU)
3. Kirya Samson (Makerere)

Defender of the Decade
1. Akabwai Geoffrey (KIU)
2. Muganga Douglas (Nkumba)
3. Gift Fred (Bugema)

Midfielder of the Decade
1. Lukwago Nasser (Uganda Martyrs)
2. Mutyaba Muzamir (KU)
3. Mugerwa Yasser (Nkumba)

Forward of the Decade
1. Musindo Siraje (MUST)
2. Owori Douglas (Uganda Martyrs)
3. Kaye Kizito Ezra (UCU)

Coach of the Decade
1. Tumusiime Vincent (KU)
2. Ayiekoh Charles (MUBS)
3. Nnono Ssozi (St. Lawrence)

Sports Tutor of the Decade
1. Ssebuliba Patrick (Nkumba/VU)
2. Ssekandi Joseph (Uganda Martyrs)
3. Kimbugwe Hilary (MUBS)

Top Scorer of the Decade
1. Kaye Kizito Ezra (UCU)
2. Musindo Siraje (MUST)
3. Muwawu Faisal (Nkumba)

Team of the Decade
1. Makerere University Business School
2. Uganda Martyrs University
3. Kampala University

Player of the Decade
1. Mugerwa Yasser (Nkumba)
2. Musindo Siraje (MUST)
3. Were Emmanuel (UCU)

Mathias Kigonya (won UFL with Kampala University) courtesy photo

The selected players for the Best XI as well the winners of the above categories will be announced at the Pepsi UFL Awards Gala at Imperial Royale on Wednesday 7th December 2022.

Speaking about the process, University Football League Chairman, Kisenyi Vincent said it had been a very difficult process given the numerous talented people who had been nominated.

_“We had several talented people who were nominated for these UFL Best of the Decade Awards and it was a very difficult process to narrow it down to the top three nominees in each category,”_ Kisenyi said

Red Rhino’s Obal Atubo said the difficulty of the process was evidence that the University Football League had achieved what it set out to do in the beginning.

_“When we started the University Football League in 2012 one of the key objectives was the unearthing of football talents within our universities. The fact that we were spoilt for choice in selecting the UFL Best of the Decade is evidence that indeed this has been achieved,”_ Obal said.

AUUS President Kabenge Peninah congratulated the nominees and said she is grateful for how far the University Football League has come.

_“It has been an exciting 10 year journey for the University Football League and as we come together to celebrate the achievements of the last 10 years we are also looking forward to growing to the next level. I congratulate all those who were nominated and we look forward to announcing the winners on Wednesday,”_ Kabenge said.