Historic CECAFA Champions Return Home to a Jubilant Kawempe Welcome

Kawempe Division turned into a scene of celebration on Wednesday as hundreds of football lovers, Kawempe Muslim Ladies FC supporters, residents and well-wishers took to the streets to honour their champions following the club’s historic triumph in the 2026 CAF Women’s Champions League CECAFA zonal qualifiers in Rwanda. What started as the team’s journey home quickly developed into a colourful community procession, culminating in a warm reception at Kawempe Muslim Secondary School.

The Homecoming Begins in Kyengera

The homecoming began taking shape as far back as Kyengera, where sections of Kawempe Muslim Ladies FC supporters encountered the team bus as the champions made their way back from Rwanda. Some supporters joined the journey from that point, turning the return trip into an early celebration of a historic achievement that had already captured the attention of the football community.

From Kyengera, the number of supporters continued to grow as the team made its way towards Kampala. More faithfuls progressively joined along the route, transforming the journey into a moving celebration of the regional champions. Their presence reflected the excitement surrounding the team and the pride generated by a victory that had secured Kawempe Muslim Ladies FC a place at the continental finals.

The champions continued through Busega and towards Bwaise via the Northern Bypass, with supporters joining at different points along the way. The growing procession gave the return journey a special character as the players and technical team gradually approached Kawempe, where a larger celebration awaited them.

From Bwaise Flyover to Kalerwe

The team reached Bwaise Flyover at approximately 1:00pm, marking a significant stage of the homecoming. Having approached the area through the Northern Bypass, the champions were from this point guided by Traffic Police escorts towards Kalerwe, helping to organise the movement as the team proceeded through the busy Kampala corridor.

The presence of the returning champions attracted attention from residents and football lovers along the route. Supporters accompanying the team added to the spectacle, turning the journey through the city into a visible celebration of Kawempe Muslim Ladies FC’s success in Rwanda.

From Bwaise Flyover, the procession proceeded towards Kalerwe Roundabout before taking Mambule Road, which connects Gayaza Road to Bwaise. The route brought the champions back towards Bwaise and positioned them for the next major stretch of the homecoming along Kawempe–Bombo Road.

The Band Joins at Bwaise Traffic Lights

After using Mambule Road, the team reached Bwaise Traffic Lights, where a band joined the procession and immediately added music and colour to the celebration. Its arrival gave the homecoming a distinctly festive atmosphere, creating another memorable moment as the champions prepared to continue towards Kawempe.

The band then accompanied the team along Kawempe–Bombo Road, adding energy to a procession that had steadily grown since Kyengera. By this stage, supporters who had joined at different points along the route had become part of a larger celebration, while the organised movement continued towards the school.

The arrival of the band marked an important moment in the homecoming. From the early supporters who joined in Kyengera to the growing crowd through Busega, Bwaise and Kalerwe, the journey had developed into a major celebration of a team that had returned home with regional honours.

The Champions Continue Along Kawempe–Bombo Road

With the band accompanying the procession, the movement along Kawempe–Bombo Road became increasingly vibrant. Music, supporters and the presence of the championship-winning players created a colourful spectacle as the champions made their way through one of the key routes leading into Kawempe.

The procession gave residents and football lovers an opportunity to see the players who had represented Kawempe on the regional stage. Their achievement in Rwanda had brought significant attention to the community, and the reception along the road demonstrated the pride generated by their historic success.

For the players and technical team, the scenes offered a special opportunity to experience the appreciation of their community after the intensity of competition in Rwanda. The long journey home was becoming a celebration in its own right, with every stage bringing the champions closer to the school.

Passing Kawempe Police and Hospital

The procession continued past Kawempe Police and later Kawempe Hospital, maintaining its celebratory momentum as the team moved deeper into Kawempe. The familiar landmarks provided clear markers of the champions’ progress and signalled that the long journey from Rwanda was approaching its final destination.

The players remained at the centre of the celebration as supporters recognised a team that had demonstrated determination throughout the tournament. The CECAFA title represented more than a trophy; it was the reward for a campaign that had placed Kawempe Muslim Ladies FC on the path to the CAF Women’s Champions League finals.

As the team passed through these busy parts of Kawempe, anticipation continued to build. The champions had already received support from different groups along their route, but a formal reception was waiting at Kawempe Muslim Secondary School, where management, stakeholders and members of the community were ready to celebrate their achievement.

Past Tick Hotel and Keeti Falaawo

The champions proceeded past Tick Hotel and through Keeti Falaawo as the procession entered its final stretch towards Kawempe Muslim Secondary School. The excitement remained high, with supporters continuing to accompany the team and celebrate the significance of the regional championship.

The CECAFA trophy remained a powerful symbol of the achievement that had brought the team home. After overcoming strong opposition in Rwanda, the players were now returning to the community with the silverware that represented their success and the historic opportunity they had earned.

The passage through Keeti Falaawo brought the homecoming journey closer to its conclusion. From Kyengera, where the first sections of supporters joined, to the various points where more faithfuls came on board, the procession had captured the pride and excitement surrounding Kawempe Muslim Ladies FC.

Kawempe Muslim Secondary School Welcomes Its Champions

The long homecoming finally reached Kawempe Muslim Secondary School, where the champions received a warm welcome from school management led by club patron and Headmistress Hajjat Zulaikah Kibirige, together with other school administrators and stakeholders. After the journey through Kampala, the arrival at the school provided a fitting setting for the community to formally honour the team.

The reception offered management and stakeholders an opportunity to recognise the players and technical team for an achievement that had brought regional glory to Kawempe. The atmosphere reflected the importance of a team returning home not simply with a trophy, but with a historic qualification that has opened a new chapter for the club.

The welcome also highlighted the close connection between Kawempe Muslim Ladies FC and the wider Kawempe Muslim community. The players had carried the name of Kawempe into a major regional competition and returned as champions, giving the school and its stakeholders a moment of immense pride.

The Champions Present the CECAFA Trophy

One of the defining moments at the school was the presentation of the CECAFA championship trophy to school management and the wider community. The champions proudly presented the silverware they had won in Rwanda, allowing those gathered at the reception to celebrate the tangible reward for an outstanding campaign.

The trophy presentation carried significance beyond the ceremonial display of silverware. It provided the players with an opportunity to share their achievement with the community and stakeholders who had a connection with the team. After the celebrations on the streets, the championship trophy had now returned to Kawempe, where it could be proudly displayed before those who had gathered to honour the champions.

For the school community, the trophy represented determination, hard work and achievement. It also served as a reminder of the historic opportunity that now awaits Kawempe Muslim Ladies FC after their success in the CECAFA qualifiers.

The Cake Moment Adds Sweetness to the Celebration

The celebrations at Kawempe Muslim Secondary School reached another memorable moment when a special cake was presented in honour of the CECAFA champions. The gesture added a warm and celebratory touch to the reception, giving the school community another opportunity to mark the significance of the team’s historic success.

The cake moment brought the champions and members of the school community together in an atmosphere of happiness and pride. Coming after the presentation of the CECAFA trophy, it provided a fitting occasion for everyone present to pause and celebrate the players and technical team who had delivered the regional championship.

It was a particularly memorable touch to a day already filled with remarkable scenes. From the supporters who joined the team in Kyengera to the procession through Kampala and the formal reception at the school, the cake celebration added another special memory to a homecoming dedicated to honouring Kawempe Muslim Ladies FC.

Nabukenya Delivers CECAFA Glory

Kawempe Muslim Ladies FC secured the CECAFA zonal championship after defeating Kenya Police Bullets 1-0 in a final that remained goalless throughout the opening 90 minutes. With neither side able to find the breakthrough in regulation time, the championship decider went into extra time, leaving both teams to battle for the decisive moment.

That moment eventually arrived in the 100th minute when Agnes Nabukenya scored the goal that changed the contest. Her strike gave Kawempe Muslim Ladies FC the advantage they had been searching for and placed the Ugandan side within reach of a historic regional championship.

Kawempe held on to the lead to complete a 1-0 victory and lift the CECAFA title. Nabukenya’s extra-time goal consequently became the defining moment of the final, sealing a triumph that would send the Ugandan champions through to the 2026 CAF Women’s Champions League finals in Morocco.

Kawempe Turns the Tables on CBE

The championship victory was preceded by an impressive semi-final performance against Commercial Bank of Ethiopia (CBE), the 2024 champions. Kawempe Muslim Ladies FC produced a commanding display to defeat the Ethiopian side 3-0 and secure their place in the final, putting themselves one step away from regional glory.

The semi-final carried added significance because CBE had eliminated Kawempe at the same stage in 2024. On that occasion, the Ethiopian side defeated Kawempe 2-1 in Ethiopia, bringing the Ugandan club’s campaign to an end and denying them a place in the final.

Two years later, Kawempe Muslim Ladies FC returned to the same stage and produced a completely different outcome. The emphatic 3-0 victory over CBE turned the tables in style, sending Kawempe into the final before the team completed its campaign by defeating Kenya Police Bullets and claiming the CECAFA championship.

Caf Finals Await

The CECAFA triumph has secured Kawempe Muslim Ladies FC a place at the 2026 CAF Women’s Champions League finals, taking the club into a new chapter of its history. The qualification is the reward for a remarkable campaign that saw the Ugandan side overcome CBE in the semi-final before edging Kenya Police Bullets in the championship decider.

The achievement carries enormous significance for Ugandan women’s football because Kawempe Muslim Ladies FC will become the first Ugandan club to compete at the CAF Women’s Champions League finals. Their success in Rwanda has therefore transformed a regional championship into a landmark moment for the club and the country.

The heroes’ welcome in Kawempe provided a fitting celebration of everything the team accomplished in Rwanda. With the CECAFA trophy presented to school management and the cake moment adding a special touch to the reception, the champions can now turn their attention to CAF Champions league finals, where they will carry the hopes of their community and Uganda into the biggest chapter of their continental journey yet.