Uganda’s investment in women’s football continues to extend beyond the playing field, with five of the country’s leading female coaches currently enrolled in the prestigious 2026 CAF A Coaching Diploma Course. Their participation marks another significant milestone in FUFA’s efforts to strengthen technical expertise and build a sustainable coaching pathway for women’s football.
The CAF A Coaching Diploma, one of the highest coaching qualifications on the continent, is being delivered over a 10-month period through five modules scheduled for July 2026, September 2026, November 2026, March 2027 and June 2027. A total of 25 coaches are taking part in the programme, which is designed to sharpen tactical knowledge, leadership skills, player management and modern coaching methodologies.
Among the participants are five accomplished Ugandan women whose influence has been felt both on and off the pitch. Their diverse backgrounds in playing, coaching and football administration underline the steady growth of the women’s game and the increasing number of women taking up leadership roles within football.
Leading the group is former Crested Cranes captain Oliver Mbekeka, one of Uganda’s true pioneers in women’s football. Having represented the national team from the mid-1990s and captained Uganda during the successful qualification campaign for the 2000 African Women’s Championship, Mbekeka also enjoyed a distinguished club career in Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo. Since hanging up her boots, she has built an impressive coaching résumé that includes roles with the Crested Cranes, Teen Cranes, Queen Cranes, Lady Doves FC and Rubaga Girls Secondary School. Her pursuit of the CAF A Diploma reflects a continued desire to remain at the forefront of coaching excellence.
Also undertaking the course is Faridah Bulega, one of the country’s most respected tacticians. Bulega guided the Crested Cranes between 2017 and 2021 and has also enjoyed success with Kampala Queens FC. Widely recognised for her contribution to player development and elite coaching, she sees the CAF A qualification as another opportunity to enhance her technical knowledge and leadership credentials.
Former Uganda international Jean Sseninde Bukenya brings a wealth of international experience to the programme. After representing clubs including London Phoenix Ladies, Queens Park Rangers Women, Crystal Palace Women and Wakefield Trinity Ladies in England, she became the first Ugandan woman to earn the UEFA B Coaching Licence in 2020. Now serving as Interim Executive Director of CECAFA after previously working as Women Football Development Manager, Sseninde continues to champion coaching education and women’s football across the region.
The next generation of Ugandan coaches is represented by Sharon Kizza, whose rapid rise has earned widespread admiration. A former player with Matugga United Ladies, Kampala United and UCU Lady Cardinals, Kizza has since worked with UCU Lady Cardinals, Kyetume FC, Blacks Power, Kitara FC and Kampala Queens. She was part of Kitara’s historic 2024 Stanbic Uganda Cup triumph and later helped Kampala Queens capture the 2024/25 Finance Trust Bank FUFA Women Super League title. She currently combines her duties as Head Coach of UCU Lady Cardinals with the role of First Assistant Coach of the Crested Cranes.
Completing Uganda’s female contingent is Sharifah Nantumbwe, who has steadily climbed the coaching ladder through grassroots football. A former player with Edgars Youth Program and Kyambogo University, Nantumbwe now serves as Head Coach of Edgars FC while also assisting both the Uganda U-17 Women’s National Team (Teen Cranes) and the Uganda U-20 Women’s National Team (Queen Cranes). Her inclusion in the CAF A programme highlights the growing recognition of grassroots coaches in shaping the future of Ugandan football.
The presence of five Ugandan women in one CAF A Coaching Diploma intake is a significant achievement for the country’s football fraternity. As women’s football continues to expand both locally and across the continent, the programme is expected to equip these coaches with advanced knowledge and practical skills that will strengthen club football, national teams and coach education for years to come.
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