Uganda’s aquatic family is set for a major regional test on home soil after Uganda Aquatics announced the teams that will represent the country at the Africa Aquatics Zone III Championships, scheduled for 21st–25th October 2026 at Kampala International School Uganda (KISU), Kampala.
The announcement, made by Uganda Aquatics Secretary General Max Akiiki, confirmed a broad Ugandan contingent comprising Team Uganda, Team B, the Masters Team and the Water Polo Team, bringing together elite swimmers, emerging talent, experienced masters and water polo players for one of the region’s biggest aquatic competitions.
Formerly known as the CANA Zone III Championships, the Africa Aquatics Zone III Championships are an annual regional competition bringing together aquatic talent from East Africa and beyond.
The championship brings together youth and elite athletes from countries like Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania, Rwanda and Burundi, and others to compete across different swimming disciplines.
This particular championship falls under Africa Aquatics, the continental governing body for swimming and aquatic sports, and features a wide programme of age-group and open events, including the different swimming strokes, relays and individual medleys.
For Uganda, the championship carries particular significance. The country has established itself as one of the region’s leading swimming nations alongside Kenya, and the return of the championships to Ugandan soil presents an opportunity for the hosts to make their presence felt in front of a home crowd.
At the heart of Uganda’s campaign will be Team Uganda, featuring swimmers selected across a wide range of age categories and events.
The team blends established names with a generation of young and seasoned swimmers who are hoping to make their mark. Among those listed are Tendo Kaumi, Pendo Kaumi, Isaiah Kuc, Kirabo Namutebi, Tara Kisawuzi, Chloe Anna Sophie Mulogo, Rahmah Kalungi Nakasule and Husnah Kukundakwe.
The strength of the selection is particularly visible in the younger age groups. In the girls’ 14-and-under 200m butterfly, Uganda will have Mackayla Ssali, Mushirah Nabatanzi, Shivon Nagginda and Audrey Nyonyintono, while the boys’ event features Elijah Ayesiga, Adam Hussein Katumba, William Sanford and Shane Mugenyi.
The depth continues into the freestyle events. In the boys’ 17-and-over 100m freestyle, Tendo Kaumi leads Uganda’s entries with a seed time of 50.70, alongside Ethani Ssengooba, Pendo Kaumi and Isaiah Kuc. The women’s event includes Kirabo Namutebi, Tara Kisawuzi, Chloe Anna Sophie Mulogo and Rahmah Kalungi Nakasule.
For the younger swimmers, the championships will be more than a medal hunt. They will be an opportunity to race against some of the best young swimmers in the region, gain international experience and understand what it takes to compete at the next level.
Supporting the main national team will be Team B, which provides Uganda with considerable depth across the programme.
The Team B roster features 72 swimmers, covering a broad range of age groups. This group could prove crucial to Uganda’s overall challenge. With athletes entered across butterfly, backstroke, breaststroke, freestyle and other events, Team B represents both competitive depth and the next generation of swimmers waiting to step onto the bigger stage.
Uganda Aquatics has also clarified an important aspect of the selection process. For swimming events, four athletes are listed for each event. The first two are the primary selections, while the next two are reserves who will be considered should either of the first two athletes be unable to confirm participation.
However, being listed as a reserve does not mean being outside the team. The reserve swimmers remain part of Team Uganda and will have races allocated to them. Uganda Aquatics has therefore encouraged every selected athlete to study the selection carefully, remain prepared and be ready to compete when called upon.
Uganda’s representation will also extend beyond the younger generations through the Masters Team, adding experience, diversity and a celebration of lifelong participation in swimming.
The Masters selection features swimmers competing across age categories beginning from the 25-and-over groups and extending into the 60-and-over categories. Names such as Donald Rukare, Peter Mugisha, Charles Obwana, Gilbert Kaburu, Benon Wamala and Habib Yawe feature in the entries.
Their presence ensures that Uganda’s Zone III campaign will tell a much bigger story than youth development alone: it will showcase a swimming culture that spans generations.
The championship will also showcase Uganda’s aquatic strength beyond swimming, with a Water Polo Team selected to represent the country.
The inclusion of water polo adds another competitive dimension to Uganda’s home campaign and gives the country an opportunity to showcase the breadth of its aquatic sports development. With athletes ranging from young competitors to senior players, the water polo contingent will join the swimmers and masters under one national banner.
The junior squad, listed as 16-and-under, includes 12 players, while the senior team of 17-and-over also has 11 players. The selection features a mixture of young players and senior experience, with names such as Adriel Lumu, Victoria Saka, Myron Rukundo, Shawn Kimbowa and Abigail Mwagale in the junior group, while Ceasar Komaketch, Ian George Sendi, Samie Mullaney, Padiet Gojack and Edgar Tendo feature in the senior selection.
With the championships coming to Uganda, the home advantage will extend beyond the familiar surroundings of KISU. It will bring the Ugandan swimming fraternity together as athletes from different generations and disciplines compete under one national banner.
For the established swimmers, it will be a chance to deliver performances on home water. For the rising stars, it will be an opportunity to announce themselves. For the masters, it will be another celebration of lifelong competition. And for the water polo players, it will be a chance to put Uganda’s wider aquatic talent on display.
The countdown to October has therefore begun. The stage is set. The home pool awaits. And in October, Uganda will not simply host the Africa Aquatics Zone III Championships it will race, fight and compete for its place at the top of the region.