Ndejje University

Ndejje University team captain to the All-Africa University Games (FASU) in Kenya, Amos Muyanja believes his team will successfully defend their title despite travelling to the games with a small number of athletes.

Ndejje one of the universities to compete in the games from Uganda will field 8 teams of 34 athletes (men and women) in Athletics, Badminton, Swimming, and Karate; minus their football, basketball, volleyball, and 3×3 basketball teams.

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“We have prepared well as individual teams and as a unit and we are hoping to win several medals from the championship for which we are defending champions,” Muyanja said.

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“We have strong competitors and top seeds in athletics, karate, badminton, and all the other disciplines and we are ready to represent the rest of our colleagues that haven’t made it. We are grateful to the vice-chancellor and the entire management of the university for supporting us to the games,” Muyanja stated.

Ndejje will look to FISU Aveiro World University Cross Country Champion Dismas Yeko, All Africa Senior Badminton Championships silver medalists Brian Kasirye and Husnah Kobugabe as well as Karataker Evelyn Uwizera among others for inspiration as they try to defend the championship.

“We are ten and are going to compete in Kata and Kumite events, we must win medals in Karate and as a team, because we have prepared well,” Uwizera who is not new at this stage having won medals in 2016 and 2018 editions, said.

On his part, Kasirye was also upbeat and said as badminton they put up their best to win medals.

“We are prepared to excel both in the individual and team event, we have the confidence because we have met some of the opponents we are going to face and we should win some gold medals,” Kasirye stated.

As he flagged them off for the five-day championship Ndejje University Vice-Chancellor Professor Eriab Lugujjo implored them to exhibit character as well as have faith and hope in their abilities.

“Be total quality athletes with character, integrity, and positive attitude and project the image of the institution; have the will to prepare and win but win honourably. Be obedient and responsive to the officials,” Lugujjo counselled.

He advised them to network with their opponents off the pitch for future collaborations and learn the virtue of gratitude before he went biblical by advising them to ‘be strong and courageous, do not be afraid or terrified because of them for the Lord your God goes with you, he will never leave or forsake’’ (Deuteronomy 31:6)

The university chaplain also advised them to invoke the power of the holy spirit and maintain their discipline and win or lose in Christ.

The team left for the games on Sunday accompanied by 12 officials ahead of action starting Tuesday at Kenyatta University in Nairobi. The championship will be contested in 11 disciplines; athletics, badminton, basketball, chess, football, tennis, table tennis, volleyball, karate, taekwondo, and swimming.

The Ndejje teams

Athletics: Dismas Yeko, Isack Chelimo, Charles Okello, Ayub Kohak Khor, Andrew Odikor, Jimmy Yiki, Jackline Driwaru, Scovia Olanya, Sandra Chekwemoi.

Badminton: Brian Kasirye, Husnah Kobugabe, Rajab Shamsha Mbiira, Sharifa Wanyana, Olivia Nakajja, Muzafar Lubega, Amos Muyanja, Thomas Kateregga.

Karate: Evelyne Uwezera, Sandrine Ishimwe, Berthe Iranezeza, Fatuma Naigaga, Halifa Niyitanga, Richard Mugabo, Edwin Musenze, Jean Claude Munyaburanga, Fiston Ntwari, Florence Niyigena.

Swimming: Rachael Galinda, John Trevor Kimuli, Rashidah Najjuma, Victor Miiro, Trevour Mwachoka, Mahamood Mutesasira.