FUFA has appointed Morley Byekwaso and Fred Muhumuza as coaches that will take charge of Uganda Cranes at the forthcoming 2024 African Nations Championship (CHAN).
Byekwaso will serve as the head coach with Muhumuza deputizing him.
“FUFA is pleased to announce the appointment of the following coaching panel for the Uganda National Team participating in the CHAN 2024 tournament, scheduled to take place in Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania from August 2nd to August 30th, 2025, under the Pamoja East Africa hosting arrangement,” reads a statement from FUFA.
“The coaching panel comprises Fred Muhumuza and Morley Byekwaso. Both coaches will be supervised and monitored by Uganda Cranes Head Coach Paul Put throughout the team’s participation in the tournament. Further technical personnel will be announced in due course, following the naming of the squad.”
It should be noted that the duo previously worked together in acting capacity on the senior national team during friendly games in October, 2023 when Milutin Sredojevic aka Micho parted ways.
The two took charge of the friendly games against Mali and Zambia played in Bamako and Sharjah respectively.
Whereas Byekwaso has not had success at club level, he has been able to lead Uganda Hippos (U20 Men) to two continental finals.
He led Uganda U20 to AFCON U20 final and African Games final in 2021 and 2024 respectively but lost both games to Ghana.
On the other hand, Muhumuza who is a co-coach at Vipers SC alongside John ‘Ayala’ Luyinda is fresh from guiding the Venoms to a domestic double (Uganda Premier League and Uganda Cup).
Uganda Cranes will be making their seventh appearance at the CHAN finals. They have played at the tournament in the 2011, 2014, 2016, 2018, 2020 and 2022 editions.
The 2024 CHAN edition will take place between 2nd-30th August in Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda.
This is good news. A local players tournament should have local coaches too. If we don’t employ our own who will?
Let’s also give the coaches wiggle room to stumble and grow. Think long term. This will encourage brilliant minds to take up coaching.
FUFA is on the right track.