DAVID ISABIRYE: Christmas in Morocco, Jingo Bells all the way | AFCON 2025 Daily Notes

Globally, the 25th December 2025 is celebrated by the people of the Christian faith with wild jubilations.

This is the opportune timing to merry-make with family members and friends.

Christmas 2025 was not ordinary for me. It found me miles away from home in North African country of Morocco where the 35th TotalEnergies African Cup of Nations (AFCON) football tournament is taking place.

Morocco is a typical Muslim country and Christmas is totally unheard of. No hype, no excitement whatsoever, no decorations. But, just any other ordinary day.

For the on-going AFCON 2025 tournament, It was a day-off having witnessed the successful completion of match day one for all the countries in contention.

Therefore, it was a perfect holiday time to keep home and celebrate with the colleagues of the Kawowo Sports Media family and other media associates from Uganda.

For the better part of the day, I was stationed at the rented apartment in El Fath, Rabat.

The cold weather did not help as well for it kept falling outside. To keep engaged, I made a couple of calls back home and busy on the wats-app to message close friends and relatives alike.

During the afternoon hours, we left El Fath comfort for Rue Tamanarti, Rabat, Rabat-Salé-Kénitra, about 15 minutes drive also in Rabat where we joined the rest of the Kawowo Sports media for a luncheon.

Christmas was that simple with the usual vibes and food served in abundance.

Boxing day had a pre-match press conference for Uganda and Tanzania at the main media center in Rabat city ahead of the grueling East African Derby.

It was once again another working day with the presser attended before the team’s last training session at the Mohammed VI Sports Complex (pitch 11).

We are all eager for the Uganda Cranes second game against Tanzania at the Al Medina sports stadium, still in Rabat city.