As a new chapter of university life begins at Makerere University, the excitement of lectures, new friendships, halls of residence and the freedom that comes with being a university student can easily take centre stage. Yet, life at the Mighty Hill is designed to be much bigger than the classroom. For freshers arriving for the 2026/2027 Academic Year, Makerere University offers a wide range of games and sporting opportunities through which students can discover talent, maintain an active lifestyle, build friendships, develop leadership skills and, for the most competitive, earn the opportunity to represent the University at national, regional and international competitions.

The University’s Sports and Recreation Department describes sport as an important part of creating an all-round student. Through organized and informal sporting activities, students are given opportunities to participate, compete and contribute to the spirit of the institution. The Games Union coordinates the student sports programme, while coaches and sports tutors support the development of athletes across the different disciplines. Freshers are therefore encouraged not to wait until they have completely settled into university life before exploring sport. The first weeks on campus may be the perfect time to find a team and make the sports ground another home.

Makerere’s sporting programme is broad enough to accommodate different interests, abilities and levels of experience. The University currently offers opportunities in athletics, badminton, basketball, chess, football, handball, hockey, martial arts, netball, rugby, scrabble, squash, swimming, table tennis, tennis, volleyball, woodball and other sporting activities. The official Sports and Recreation Department also lists adapted sports, giving students with disabilities opportunities to participate and compete.

For freshers, this diversity is important because university sport is not reserved for students who arrive on campus already known as national champions. Some students come with years of competitive experience, while others simply have a passion for a particular game and want to improve. What matters is the willingness to train, learn, work with others and commit to the demands of being part of a team. Makerere’s sports environment provides a platform where talent can be identified and nurtured, and where a student can grow from participating in a hall competition to wearing the University colours at a major championship.

Football remains one of the most popular sporting activities on campus with its training ground profoundly known as the Tear Gas Arena by the students , and Makerere provides opportunities for both men’s and women’s football. Students who have played competitively in secondary school, community clubs or academies can bring their experience to the University teams, while those who are still developing their game can also seek opportunities to train and improve. The University’s football programme offers freshers more than a chance to play the beautiful game; it offers an opportunity to compete for the badge and contribute to Makerere’s sporting identity.

Basketball is another major part of Makerere’s sporting culture. With the pace, physicality and tactical intelligence required by the game, basketball attracts students who enjoy competition and teamwork. Freshers with experience in school basketball, club basketball or informal community games are encouraged to seek out the team and attend training. For students who have always wanted to take basketball more seriously, university may be the place where that ambition begins to take shape.

Volleyball and netball also provide important pathways for students who enjoy team-based competition. Both sports demand communication, discipline, fitness and an understanding of team systems. Netball, in particular, continues to provide an important platform for female student athletes, while volleyball offers opportunities for both men and women to develop their skills and represent Makerere. Students should not underestimate the value of simply showing up for training and allowing coaches to assess their ability.

For those who prefer speed, endurance and individual competition, athletics offers a different route into university sport. Track and field athletes can compete in events that test sprinting, middle-distance and long-distance ability, among other disciplines. Makerere has a history of producing and supporting athletes who have gone on to compete beyond the University. Freshers who ran competitively in school, participated in athletics clubs or simply believe they have the endurance and discipline required for the sport should consider making themselves known to the athletics programme.

Swimming is another distinctive part of Makerere’s sporting identity. The University’s swimming pool, which dates back to the late 1950s, has witnessed generations of students take to the water. Today, the Mak Sharks, the competitive swimming club that doubles as the Makerere University Swim Team, continue to carry the University’s aquatic tradition forward. The team has competed at national, regional, continental and international levels, and has built a strong reputation in university swimming and water polo. For a fresher who is already a swimmer, or one who has a serious interest in competitive swimming, the pool could become one of the most important places on campus.

Makerere’s aquatic programme is also a reminder that university sport can take students far beyond the campus gates. The Games Union is affiliated to national and international university sports structures, including the Association of Uganda University Sports, the Federation of East Africa University Sports, the Federation of Africa University Sports and the Federation of International University Sports. Makerere students therefore have opportunities to compete at East African, African and world university competitions when selected to represent the University.

Rugby offers another competitive pathway for freshers who enjoy physicality, speed, tactical play and teamwork. Makerere Impis Rugby Club has a long association with the University and has continued to compete on the national scene. In 2026, the club made a notable return to the Premier League and reached the Main Cup semi-finals in its first season back at that level. Students with rugby backgrounds, as well as those interested in learning the sport, are encouraged to find out when the team trains and present themselves for assessment.

Handball and hockey add further dimensions to Makerere’s team-sport culture. Handball demands speed, strength, coordination and tactical awareness, while hockey combines fitness, technical skill and teamwork. Students who have represented their schools or clubs in either sport should consider continuing their journey at university. Freshers who are new to either game but have the interest and physical ability to learn should also not be afraid to step forward.

For students who enjoy individual and racket sports, Makerere offers badminton, tennis, squash and table tennis. These sports require concentration, coordination, movement and consistency, often placing a strong emphasis on technical skill and mental resilience. They can be particularly attractive to students who prefer competition that combines individual responsibility with opportunities to train alongside others. Whether you are an experienced player or someone looking to take a sport more seriously for the first time, these disciplines offer room for development.

The University also recognizes the importance of mind sports. Chess and scrabble provide opportunities for students whose strengths lie in strategy, concentration, memory, calculation and decision-making rather than physical speed. Chess players, in particular, can develop their competitive skills through structured practice and competition. For the fresher who may not see themselves as a conventional athlete, mind sports are a reminder that being part of Makerere’s sports community does not necessarily mean running, jumping or tackling.

Woodball and martial arts further expand the range of sporting opportunities available to students. Martial arts require discipline, technique and self-control, while woodball combines precision, concentration and physical activity. Students should explore the sports that match their interests rather than assuming that only the most popular games are worth pursuing. Sometimes the sport that becomes your greatest university experience is the one you never expected to try.

Makerere also provides adapted sports opportunities, reflecting the University’s commitment to making participation more inclusive. Students with disabilities are encouraged to explore the opportunities available through the Sports and Recreation Department and the Games Union. University sport should be a space where students can discover what they are capable of, irrespective of physical circumstances, and where talent is given an opportunity to grow.

Beyond the major University teams, freshers should pay attention to intra-mural competitions. Makerere organizes activities such as inter-hall and inter-college competitions, which can provide an important entry point for students who want to experience competitive sport before seeking a place on a University team. These competitions can also help coaches and team officials identify emerging talent. A fresher who performs well for a hall may eventually attract the attention of a University coach and be invited to train at a higher level.

This pathway has existed at Makerere for generations. The University’s sporting history contains examples of students who arrived with talent, took part in different activities and eventually represented Makerere and Uganda at major competitions. The story of sports at the University is therefore not only about trophies. It is also about the relationships, confidence, discipline, leadership and opportunities that students gain along the way.

The benefits of joining a sports team extend well beyond winning medals. According to the Sports and Recreation Department, participation can support healthy living and fitness, talent development, self-esteem, stress reduction, social networking, leadership and team-building skills. Sport can also contribute to a student’s wider profile by demonstrating commitment, discipline and the ability to work with others. For a fresher trying to understand how to make the most of university life, joining a sports team can therefore be an investment in both personal development and student experience.

Freshers should, however, understand that making a University team requires commitment. Talent may open the door, but training, discipline, punctuality, fitness, teamwork and consistency are what keep an athlete in the room. Students joining a team should be prepared to balance their sporting commitments with academic responsibilities. The goal is not to choose between academics and sport, but to develop the discipline required to succeed in both.

The University’s Sports and Recreation Department encourages students to take part in at least one sport and to represent their halls and the University. Students can register for sports and activities and seek guidance from coaches, sports tutors, team captains and the Games Union. Freshers who are uncertain about where to begin should simply start by asking. Find out where your sport trains, introduce yourself to the coach or captain, attend a session and allow your ability and commitment to speak for you.

For those wondering whether they are good enough, the answer is simple: give yourself the opportunity to find out. You may arrive at Makerere believing that your sporting days ended with secondary school. You may discover a sport you have never played before. You may come to campus already carrying medals and expectations. Whatever your starting point is, the University offers a sporting environment in which you can test yourself, meet people, develop your abilities and perhaps earn the opportunity to represent one of Uganda’s oldest and most prestigious universities.

As the 2026/2027 Academic Year begins, freshers are therefore invited to look beyond lecture rooms and explore the sporting opportunities around the Mighty Hill. Whether your strength is in football, basketball, volleyball, netball, rugby, swimming, athletics, hockey, handball, tennis, badminton, squash, table tennis, chess, woodball, martial arts, scrabble or adapted sports, there is a place to begin. You do not have to wait to be discovered. Step onto the court, field, pool, track or training space and introduce yourself.

Makerere University is not only a place where students earn degrees. It is a place where identities are built, talents are sharpened and memories are made. For some students, the defining moments of their university journey will happen in lecture theatres. For others, they may happen under the floodlights, on the track, across the net, on the rugby pitch, over a chessboard or in the water. For a new fresher, the next chapter could begin with something as simple as joining a team.

So, to every fresher with a passion for sport, a hidden talent, a competitive spirit or simply a desire to stay active: do not watch from the sidelines. Find your sport. Find your team. Train. Compete. Grow. And when the opportunity comes, wear the Makerere colours with pride and represent the Mighty Hill.

For more info about the sports and games union, go to https://mak.ac.ug/students/sports-recreation

The Makerere swimming, basketball, and Scrabble teams all delivered championship moments for Makerere University this season, a reminder that the university’s sporting depth runs well beyond the football pitch.

Swimming: Mak Sharks crowned inaugural inter-university champions

The Mak Sharks, Makerere University‘s Swim club, won the first-ever Uganda Aquatics (UA) Inter-University Swimming Championships, held at the British School of Kampala on 25^th April 2026. The gala brought together swimmers from universities across the country, and it was Makerere’s men who emerged on top in a competition that organisers hope will become a permanent fixture on the national swimming calendar. The Club also holds the titles of defending champions in Ugandan Water Polo and the Association of Ugandan University Sports Games. Their performance is paying off from their rigorous training sessions under head coach Mr Tamale Thomas.

Their hard work and competitive mentality have in the past carried the club to the 2025 World University FISU Games in Rhine Ruhr, Germany; the 2024 All Africa FASU Games in Lagos, Nigeria, and the British School of Kampala in April 2026.

A first edition of any tournament carries its own pressure, since there is no previous result to defend and no established benchmark to chase, only the standard a team sets for itself. Makerere’s men met that challenge directly and, in doing so, gave the new inter-university championship its first champion.

Scrabble: Makerere Claims the Titans Tournament

Makerere University‘s Scrabble team won the Titans Scrabble Tournament, organised by the Scrabble Association of Uganda, with three players in the top five. The university was represented by a four man team of Musinguzi Simon, Lalobo Norbert, Atugonza Shawn, and Mawanda Malcom.

The tournament brought together four universities, Makerere University, Mbarara University of Science and Technology, Kyambogo University, and Uganda Christian University, alongside competitors from several technical institutes. The Titans Tournament is designed to expose university players to stronger competition from outside their own institutions ahead of the inter-university championships later in the season.

Lalobo Norbert topped the field with seven wins and one loss, finishing on a spread of +889. Musinguzi Simon was close behind, also recording seven wins and one loss with a spread of +422. Atugonza Shawn rounded out Makerere’s top three finishers with five wins and three losses on a spread of +465, while Mawanda Malcom closed out the squad’s campaign with three wins and five losses on a spread of 279.

With three of its four players finishing inside the top five, Makerere University‘s overall performance was enough to secure the tournament title, giving the university’s Scrabble programme a strong marker of form heading into the rest of the competitive calendar.

Women’s Basketball: Makerere Sparks Sail Through Round One Unbeaten

Makerere University‘s women’s basketball side, the Sparks, is making a statement in the 2026 FUBA Division One season. They wrapped up the first round without dropping a single game, going 11 for 11 and doing so in convincing fashion.

The turnaround comes after a tough finish in 2025, when the Sparks fell 3-1 to the Victoria She Crocs in the semi-finals. Determined to close those gaps, the team retooled heading into 2026, and the results are already showing on both ends of the court.

Offensively, no one in the division has matched them. Makerere leads all teams with 643 points scored, 46 clear of second-placed Nkumba Lady Marines. Their defense has been just as dominant, holding opponents to an average of 35 points a game. That two-way dominance has them tipped as one of the sides likely to earn promotion to the NBL.

Mercy Ageno picked up the best defensive player award and a spot on the 2025 team of the season, despite an early injury that ruled her out for the rest of round one. Afua Nabawanga ranks inside the division’s top 10 for scoring, assists, and steals, joined by a deep supporting cast — Faridah Nakyanzi, Denize Nabugasha, Sora Mary Deng, and Apuk Dium. They are all anchored by team captain Narot Harriet and her vice-captain Nalwoga Jovia.

Woodball: Makerere’s Little-known Powerhouse on the World Stage

While woodball rarely draws the same attention as other dominant sports, Makerere University has quietly built one of the strongest woodball contingents in the country, with three of its players representing both the university and the Uganda National Team on the international stage.

Namutebi Rhonah Majoline, captain of Makerere, was selected to represent Uganda at the 2025 Beach Woodball World Cup in Rayong, Thailand. Her recent honours include a Gold Medal in women’s doubles alongside Agatha Joy Auma at the 2024 Inter-University Woodball Championship, and a Silver Medal in mixed doubles at the 7th Uganda Woodball Federation President’s Cup, held at Lugogo Cricket Oval.

George Guma was also named to the national squad that travelled to Thailand for the Beach Woodball World Cup. On the domestic circuit, he has been a regular winner, taking gold in the men’s double stroke competition at the Kyambogo Open, and has represented several university and club banners across Uganda’s collegiate and national circuits.

Akram Matovu completes the trio, having earned his own call-up to the national team for the Beach Woodball World Cup in Thailand. Matovu has been a consistent presence at the President’s Cup, where he won silver in men’s doubles, and previously claimed the singles title on Makerere’s own grounds. He has also posted some of the strongest scores on the national Beach Woodball Circuit, including a standout round of 37 strokes, and is known for a memorable win over defending champions Uganda Prisons in the Buganda Land Board Woodball League.

Between them, Namutebi, Guma, and Matovu give Makerere a presence at nearly every major woodball event on the Ugandan calendar, from university championships to the President’s Cup to the national team itself, and their continued success keeps building the case for woodball as one of the university’s most underrated sporting disciplines.

End

Promoted just months ago, Impis have shocked Uganda’s rugby establishment by reaching the Main Cup semi-finals in their first season back in the Premier League and they are not done yet.

KAMPALA There is a training ground in Kampala that the players of Makerere Impis Rugby Club have come to call the Graveyard. The name is not a warning it is a declaration. It is a place where opposition attacks come to die, where ambitions are sharpened under floodlights on Tuesday and Thursday evenings, and where a group of young men forged the conviction that they belonged in Uganda’s top tier of rugby. In 2026, they are proving exactly that.

After suffering relegation in 2024 and spending the 2025 season in the Central Uganda Rugby Association (CURA) league, the Impis returned to the Uganda Rugby Union Premier League this year with a point to prove. Twelve games into the season, they have beaten giants, survived elimination, and now stand just two legs away from the Main Cup final. Their slogan #ARROGANCE is beginning to feel less like bravado and more like prophecy.

A Club Rebuilt From the Ground Up

Founded in 1989, Makerere Impis Rugby Club carries a history that stretches back more than three decades. The club’s proudest moment came in 1996, when they clinched their one and only Uganda Rugby Premier League title with a dramatic 33-30 victory over fierce rivals Heathens on the final day of the season at the Kampala Rugby Grounds. It was the kind of finish that legends are made of, and it remained the benchmark against which every subsequent generation of Impis players would measure themselves.

The decades that followed were a mix of promise and frustration. But the most significant challenge came in 2024, when the club was relegated from the Premier League, falling into the CURA division. For a club with the Impis’ identity and pride, it was a painful blow. The 2025 season became one of rebuilding, recalibration, and rediscovery.

Head Coach Nkamba Alvin inherited a squad at a crossroads. Several experienced players departed after the 2024 campaign, and the challenge was not just to rebuild a team capable of winning promotion but to build a culture capable of competing at the top level once they got back there. Nkamba chose to lean into the transition rather than resist it.

There was a transition after the 2024 season. A couple of players left, but some stayed back, that Coach Nkamba built on. The result is a squad that is a deliberate blend of experience and youth a conveyor belt of schools rugby talent mixed with the resilience of players who lived through the relegation and refused to let it define them. Many of the newer faces are still in Form Six vacations or completing their first year at university. Between the two squads Team One (Impis) and the reserve side (Intangas) there are over 60 athletes. It is not just a team. It is a programme.

A Regular Season That Turned Heads

Impis entered the 2026 Premier League season knowing they would need time to find their feet again among the country’s elite. What they could not have fully anticipated was just how quickly they would announce their return.

Game Week 2 of the season, February 14^th, 2026 Valentine’s Day delivered one of the most striking results of the entire campaign. At the Graveyard, in front of a passionate home crowd, Impis defeated Heathens Rugby Club 16-10. This was not just any win. Heathens are one of the most decorated clubs in Ugandan rugby history, and the memory of that 1996 championship battle between the two sides gives every Impis-Heathens fixture an extra layer of meaning. To beat them at home, in just the second week of the season, sent a clear message to the rest of the league: Impis were back, and they had not returned to make up the numbers.

The club closed the regular season with six wins and five losses from eleven games, accumulating 26 points to finish 7th out of 12 teams. It was enough to qualify for the Main Cup quarter-finals a platform they would use to spectacular effect.

Darren Aine: The Man Who Made It Rain Points

Any account of Impis’ 2026 season would be incomplete without dwelling on the individual brilliance of Darren Aine. The standout back has been in sensational form throughout the campaign, crossing the 100-point mark during the regular season alone a milestone that speaks to the kind of match-winning consistency that coaches dream of and opponents dread.

Aine’s ability to create and convert opportunities has given Impis a cutting edge that has been central to their progress. Whether off the kicking tee or running at defenders, he has been the kind of player around whom a team’s entire attacking identity can be built. In a squad full of emerging talent, Aine has set the standard.

Alongside him, Pius Mpoza has stood out as one of the club’s most consistent performers another name that opposition teams have had to prepare specific strategies for. Together, the pair have formed the kind of partnership that gives a club real belief when the stakes are highest.

The Quarter-Final: How Impis Silenced the Kobs

The Main Cup quarter-final draw handed Impis a two-legged tie against KCB Kobs a heavyweight of Ugandan club rugby. It was the kind of fixture designed to test whether a newly-promoted side truly belongs at the top table.

The first leg, played at the Graveyard on home turf, produced a difficult afternoon. Impis fell to a 12-23 loss, a deficit that left them needing to overturn eleven points in the second leg if they were to advance. The task was significant. For many teams, it would have felt like a mountain too steep to climb.

But Impis are not many teams.

The second leg at Legends saw one of the most electrifying performances of the entire 2026 Premier League season. Impis came out with a ferocity and precision that Kobs simply could not handle, running out 31-10 winners. The aggregate score 43-33 in Impis’ favour sealed their place in the semi-finals. It was a result that sent shockwaves through the league. Kobs had not expected to be going home. Impis had made sure they were.

“A tie that they didn’t expect Impis to win” the club’s own words carry a quiet satisfaction that says everything about where they were, and where they now are.

The Intangas: Building Depth, Building the Future

While the spotlight has rightfully shone on the first team’s Main Cup adventure, the story of Impis in 2026 is not a one-team story. The Intangas the club’s reserve side have been competing in the URU Reserve League, which featured ten teams this season. They finished 5^th, a solid mid-table result that reflects both the depth of the programme and the commitment to developing players across all levels.

Having a functioning, competitive second side is a requirement for all clubs in the Premier League though not every club meets that standard. Impis do, and the Intangas have been more than a box-ticking exercise. They are a genuine pathway, a place where the next generation of Graveyard-trained talent is being sharpened before they step into the first team environment. Given how many of the first team players came directly through the school system, the pipeline from Intangas to Impis is not theoretical. It is already working.

The People Behind the Club

A rugby club is more than the players on the pitch on match day. Makerere Impis Rugby Club is sustained by a structure of leadership, support, and partnership that makes its on-field ambitions possible.

Chairman Sylvester Egumire Nnyombi leads the club’s Executive Committee, providing the governance and strategic direction that keeps the institution moving forward. Head Coach Nkamba Alvin, meanwhile, has quickly established himself as one of the sharper tactical minds in the domestic game. His ability to knit together a roster of experienced campaigners and schoolboy prospects into a cohesive, dangerous unit has been the defining human achievement of this season.

The club’s main sponsor is the Makerere University Games Union, under the leadership of Acting Deputy Dean in Charge of Sports, Mr. Brian Miiro Nsubuga, institutional backing that underscores the club’s close relationship with one of Uganda’s most prominent universities. Additional funding comes from the Uganda Rugby Union, which allocates resources to Premier League clubs.

Commercial partnerships further strengthen the club’s foundation. JIBU serves as the official hydration partner, ensuring athletes have what they need during the demanding Tuesday and Thursday training sessions at the Graveyard. Giordano has stepped in as shirt sponsors, providing the playing kit that the players wear with unmistakable pride. Citadel Construction Company rounds up the club’s partner portfolio, contributing to the off-field operations that allow the rugby to take centre stage.

Semi-Finals Await: Buffaloes on the Horizon

The reward for dispatching KCB Kobs is a Main Cup semi-final encounter with Buffaloes Rugby Club a two-legged affair with the first leg scheduled for June 6^th, and the second leg on June 13^th, 2026. It is the biggest fixture in Impis’ recent history, and the club goes into it with momentum, self-belief, and the knowledge that they have already beaten one opponent who did not believe in them.

The Graveyard will host the first leg on the 6^th a home advantage that the club’s players and supporters will be keen to maximise. Under the lights, in front of their own fans, with a place in the Main Cup final at stake, Makerere Impis Rugby Club will have an opportunity to add the most significant chapter yet to their 2026 story.

But this semi-final is about more than a single match, or even a single season. It is about what this club represents at this moment. Relegated two years ago. Rebuilt. Promoted. And now, against all the expectations of those who had written them off, standing two wins away from the final.

A History That Drives Them Forward

The 1996 title remains the apex of Impis’ recorded achievement in the league a 33-30 win over Heathens, clinched on the final day, at the Kampala Rugby Grounds. It is a story that has been told many times in the club’s history, and it is a story that never loses its power. Every player who has ever pulled on the Impis jersey knows it. And those in the 2026 squad many of them still teenagers, or barely into their twenties are beginning to understand what it would mean to add their own chapter.

More recently, the club won the Uganda Cup Shield in 2023, defeating Warriors RFC 31-10 in the final. That trophy was a sign that even during the difficult years, the quality was there. The potential was there. The character was there. It just needed the right conditions to fully bloom.

Those conditions exist now, perhaps more completely than at any point since 1996. A head coach who believes in his system. A chairman who has created stability off the field. Partners and sponsors who have invested in the vision. A school-to-club pipeline that is bringing fresh energy every season. And a squad 60-plus athletes across two teams who train twice a week at a ground they call the Graveyard, and who have spent this season showing what happens when the Impis are properly awoken.

Conclusion: Arrogance, Earned

#ARROGANCE. That slogan, so boldly worn, is easy to misread. It is not the arrogance of a team that has forgotten how hard the fall was. It is the arrogance of a team that has climbed back up, looked around at the league they were once banished from, and decided they are here to compete with anyone Heathens, Kobs, or whoever comes next.

In 2026, Makerere Impis Rugby Club is not a footnote. They are not a feel-good story to be patronised. They are a genuine semi-finalist, built on real coaching, real talent, real institutional support, and a very real belief that the Graveyard is just the beginning.