As of April 23, 2026, the StarTimes Uganda Premier League title race remain evenly poised with four teams firmly in contentions.
The previous match day has had a lot of talking points including Kitara’s faltering form, KCCA’s rejuvenation, Vipers’ momentum, NEC’s defensive solidity, Basangwa’s injury and the desperate fight for survival.
The title race
The momentum remains with champions and leaders Vipers who ended two-match winless streak against fellow contenders (Kitara and Villa) by winning 2-0 at Buhimba United Saints.
KCCA and SC Villa beat Entebbe UPPC and Lugazi respectively to firmly stay in the race four and seven points behind respectively.
The trio of Vipers, KCCA and SC Villa all won their respective matches.
At the moment, Vipers remain in charge but with games coming thick and thin in the coming weeks, anything can still happen.
Kitara’s profligacy
Last week, Vipers had an opportunity to move within a point of Vipers if they had won Kitende.
A few days later, they are trailing the Venoms by seven points after dropping points in that Kitende stalemate, loss at KCCA and a frustrating goalless draw at home to relegation fighting Calvary.
In that period, the Royals have been profligate in front of goal despite fielding all their forwards – Patrick Kaddu, George Ssenkaaba, Muhamad Shaban, Edson Agondze, Kabon Living and Jimmy Kalema among others.
Basangwa injury should open eyes in regards to safety procedures
Rule 39 (medical), section III of the Fufa competitions rules states that ‘It shall be a duty of home team to arrange medical facilitations during FUFA competition matches.
“For the case of the 1st division league matches, a fully equipped ambulance must be available before and during the match,”
Then section IV states that; “Match officials appointed shall inspect and ensure the ambulance is present before and during the match. Should at any one time a need for an ambulance arises and there is no ambulance available, the home team shall be sanctioned in accordance with the Ethics and Disciplinary Code.”
In the game between Express and NEC, Richard Basangwa was elbowed in the neck and needed over five minutes on field treatment before the medics advised he needed more attention and rushed to the ambulance.
However, to the shock of everyone, the ambulance was not operational and sadly, had a flat tyre.
It was then that one of the vehicles of the NEC club officials became available and rushed the player to hospital where he was attended to and fortunately, he was treated and has been discharged in a better condition.
That incident should never happen again and should open eyes for all stakeholders in the game.
It is time that ambulances at the match day venues are inspected keenly by officials to ascertain the conditions and whether it is functioning properly.
UPDF’s huge victory over BUL sparks debate but…..
UPDF enhanced their survival chances with a huge 5-2 victory away to BUL who are now winless in four matches.
The win moved the army side to 20 points and are now five points better off the relegation zone.
Though many are questioning results given how the UPDF have struggled for wins this season, people need a reminder that the army side have now won away to the Jinja based side for three seasons in a row.
NEC’s unbeaten stretched
Following a goalless stalemate with Express, NEC are now unbeaten in 15 premier league matches in a row and over 19 in all competition bar penalty shootouts.
Their last defeat was on December 12 against KCCA and the key to their form lies in the defensive solidity as they have now conceded none in the past nine matches including the goalless draw with Vipers in the Uganda Cup.
