The 2026-27 Uganda Premier League transfer window is set to close on Saturday, September 19, with NEC FC looking to get stronger each and every new day.
In a move that has sent a statement through the top tier of Ugandan football, dynamic forward Marvin Oshaba has officially completed a permanent transfer from Maroons FC on a lucrative three-year contract that ties him to the club until 2029.
For a player who captured the imagination of the fans with a blistering start to the 2026-27 campaign, this transfer is a change of scenery and the final, lethal puzzle piece in NEC FC’s aggressive pursuit of their first-ever domestic crown.
To understand why NEC FC aggressively pursued the 27-year-old forward, one only needs to look at his breathtaking trajectory over the past few months. Oshaba arrives at his new home riding the crest of a wave, having established himself as a lethal and efficient finisher in the country in the last two months.
His ascent reached boiling point during the pre-season 2026 FUFA Super 8 tournament, the elite battleground featuring the top eight teams from the previous campaign. Oshaba turned the tournament into his personal showcase, netting 4 goals in 4 games.
What made his run extraordinary was his unmatched clinical efficiency; despite being named in the starting lineup only twice, he found the back of the net in every single match he played.
He delivered a dramatic stoppage-time equaliser against SC Villa in the quarterfinal first leg at Hamz Stadium, followed it up with a second-leg goal against Villa, a high-pressure penalty in a 2-2 thriller against Entebbe UPPC, and a fourth strike against Uganda Police FC.
Oshaba seamlessly translated that red-hot form into the official 2026/27 UPL season. After a hard-fought opening defeat to URA FC, Oshaba spearheaded a 10-man Maroons squad to a decisive 3-1 victory over Ntugasaze FC at the Kira Road Police Arena, coolly converting a 48th-minute penalty. His consistent delivery and elite movement made him too hot for Maroons to hold and too valuable for an ambitious club like NEC to ignore.
NEC FC has made no secret of its championship ambitions. Having already signed marquee names including the return of Uganda Cranes striker Fahad Bayo, the club’s recruitment team has focused on assembling an explosive, multifaceted frontline. Oshaba fits this blueprint to absolute perfection.
Oshaba is not a static number nine but an all-round front player with his background rooted in the centre midfield. Standing with a low, balanced centre of gravity, he operates comfortably as a 10 or drifting onto either wing. His ability to manufacture goals out of half chances, whether through delicate link-up play, relentless high pressing, or calm execution from the penalty spot, gives technical managers tactical fluidity.
Having previously worn the colours of top-tier heavyweights like Express FC, Wakiso Giants, Police FC and Tooro United, Oshaba is no stranger to the suffocating pressure of a title chase. He brings seasoned know-how to a locker room already brimming with talent, despite having moved on Joseph Seremba to Nairobi United, the same club they sold Mustapha Kizza, Titus Ssematimba and Charles Waibi.
Under head coach Badru Kaddu, NEC’s tactical framework relies on quick transitions and overwhelming creative supply from midfield orchestrators like Pius Obuya, Daniel Shabene, and Shamir Kimwero. By adding Oshaba into an attacking rotation that already features club talisman Marvin Kavuma, Enrique Lubwama, and Fahad Bayo, NEC FC now boasts arguably the most feared and deep attacking trident in the Uganda Premier League.
With a rigid defensive foundation guarded by Hannington Ssebwalunyo and Mustafa Mujuzi, Gideon Odongo as well as Warren Buule allow the front line of James Jarieko, Innicent Media and Basangwa to press high and transition with terrifying speed. Oshaba’s arrival transforms NEC from a dark horse into an absolute powerhouse.