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.

University Hall and Complex Hall emerged as overall winners in a thrilling day of competitive swimming at Makerere University, as 52 athletes from eight halls battled it out at the University Swimming Pool on 17^th April 2026.

The Swimming Pool at Makerere University was alive with excitement, and the unmistakable sound of water being carved apart by determined young athletes on the 17^th of April 2026, when the Makerere University Inter-Hall Swimming Championships made a triumphant return. Organised by the Sports and Games Union in collaboration with the University Swimming Team, the event brought together swimmers from eight halls of residence for a day of fierce, spirited, and thoroughly entertaining competition.

When the final results were tallied and the waters had settled, it was University Hall who reigned supreme in the boys category with a commanding 64 points, while Complex Hall claimed the girls title with 53 points. But beyond the standings and the scorecards, the day was a powerful statement about what sport can do for a university community: it brings people together, surfaces hidden talent, and reminds every athlete that the pool is a place where anything is possible for a swimmer.

Setting the Stage: A Competition Built on Purpose

The Inter-Hall Swimming Championships were not simply an exercise in athletic competition. They were conceived with a clear and deliberate set of objectives that reflect the broader mission of sport at Makerere University. The Sports and Games Union, in organising this event, sought to provide a genuine competitive platform for student swimmers who might otherwise never get the opportunity to test themselves against their peers in a structured and official setting.

Talent identification was equally central to the event’s purpose. Not every gifted swimmer in the student body is immediately visible to coaches and selectors. Events like these give those athletes a stage to shine, and give the coaching staff, including the University Swimming Team led by Head Coach Mr. Tamale Thomas, an opportunity to observe and evaluate swimmers they may want to bring into the competitive fold. For a club like the Mak Sharks that is always looking to grow and strengthen its squad, the Inter-Hall Championships serve as an invaluable scouting ground.

There was also a social and community dimension to the day. In a large university like Makerere, where students can sometimes feel disconnected from one another across different halls and faculties, sport is one of the most powerful unifying forces available. Cheering for your hall, racing alongside your hall-mates, and celebrating a shared result creates bonds that last well beyond the pool. The Championships, in that regard, were as much about building community as they were about winning races.

Eight Halls, 52 Swimmers, One Pool

A total of 52 swimmers took to the water across both male and female categories, representing eight halls of residence from across the university. The participating halls were:

• University Hall
• Nkrumah Hall
• Nsibirwa Hall
• Mitchell Hall
• Livingstone Hall
• Africa Hall
• Mary Stuart Hall
• Complex Hall

Each hall brought its finest swimmers, and the atmosphere at the poolside reflected the pride and competitive spirit that each team carried into the water. Supporters lined the edges of the pool, cheering loudly for their hall’s athletes, turning the championships into a genuinely vibrant event that captured the best of university sport.

All races were conducted in accordance with standard swimming regulations, with boys and girls competing separately in their respective categories. This structure ensured a fair, well organised competition that gave every swimmer a genuine opportunity to perform at their best.

The Events: A Full Programme of Aquatic Excellence

The day’s programme was comprehensive, covering the full spectrum of competitive swimming disciplines. From the raw speed of the freestyle sprints to the technical precision of the butterfly and the relentless rhythm of the breaststroke, the championships tested swimmers across every dimension of the sport. The events contested on the day included:

• Freestyle (25m and 50m)
• Breaststroke (25m and 50m)
• Backstroke (25m and 50m)
• Butterfly (25m and 50m)
• 4x25m Freestyle Relay
• 4x25m Medley Relay

The relay events, in particular, were a highlight of the day. With each hall fielding a team of four swimmers, the relays brought out the collective spirit of each hall in a way that individual events cannot fully capture. The poolside erupted with every exchange, and the final legs of each relay were contested with an intensity that had spectators on their feet.

The butterfly events also drew particular attention, given the technical difficulty of the stroke and the courage it takes to swim it well under competitive pressure. Those who excelled in the butterfly earned the admiration of both judges and spectators alike, and their performances added a touch of spectacle to an already exciting programme.

The Results: Champions Crowned on Both Sides

BOYS CATEGORY

Position	Hall	Points
Overall Winner	University Hall	64 Points
1st Runner-up	Mitchell Hall	55 Points
2nd Runner-up	Nkrumah Hall	43 Points

University Hall put together a dominant performance across the boys events, accumulating 64 points to comfortably take the overall title. Mitchell Hall pushed hard throughout the day, claiming the runner-up spot with 55 points, while Nkrumah Hall rounded off the top three with 43 points in a creditable showing.

GIRLS CATEGORY

Position	Hall	Points
Overall Winner	Complex Hall	53 Points
1st Runner-up	Africa Hall	49 Points
2nd Runner-up	Mary Stuart Hall	39 Points

The girls competition was equally gripping, with Complex Hall edging out Africa Hall by just four points to claim the overall title with 53 points to Africa Hall’s 49. The closeness of that contest kept the girls competition alive deep into the final events, with Mary Stuart Hall also putting in a strong showing to finish third with 39 points.

Standing Ovations: The Outstanding Performers

While every swimmer that took to the water on the day deserves recognition, a few athletes stood out for performances that went beyond the ordinary and left a lasting impression on everyone present.

In the boys category, Ampaire Nimusiima Namanya of University Hall was the standout performer, delivering a series of exceptional swims that contributed significantly to his hall’s commanding points total. His technique, composure under pressure, and sheer ability in the water were a joy to watch, and he announced himself as a swimmer of genuine quality at the university level.

Also drawing widespread praise was Alinda Larry Nimusiima of Nkrumah Hall, whose performances were a key reason Nkrumah Hall finished in the top three. His competitive drive and strong execution across multiple events made him one of the most watched athletes of the day.

On the girls side, Anna Chloe Sophie Obiajunwa of Complex Hall was simply outstanding. Her performances across her events were a masterclass in controlled, powerful swimming, and she was central to Complex Hall’s victory in the girls category. She is a talent to watch closely in the competitions ahead.

Equally impressive was Nampewo Linda Jackline of Marystuart Hall, who put in a string of strong performances that helped Marystuart Hall to a third place finish in the girls category. Her contribution to her hall’s effort was significant, and her performances did not go unnoticed by those tracking emerging swimming talent at the university.

Weathering the Storm: Challenges on the Day

No major event is without its challenges, and the Inter-Hall Swimming Championships were no exception. The day was marked by heavy rains that created difficult conditions around the poolside and added an element of unpredictability to the proceedings. Late arrivals of some participants also tested the patience and flexibility of the organisers, requiring adjustments to the day’s schedule.

To their great credit, however, the organising team navigated these hurdles with admirable professionalism. Officials, timekeepers, and the many volunteers who gave their time to support the event kept the competition on track, ensuring that despite the disruptions, every swimmer had the opportunity to compete. The event was completed in full, a tribute to the resilience and dedication of everyone involved in its organisation.

A Bigger Picture: What the Championships Mean for Swimming at Makerere

Events like the Inter-Hall Swimming Championships are not simply about the medals and the points tally. They are about the long term health and visibility of swimming as a sport within the university. In a sporting environment where football and athletics tend to command the most attention, competitions like these are vital for ensuring that aquatic sport receives the recognition and participation it deserves.

The Championships demonstrated clearly that there is real depth of swimming talent spread across Makerere‘s halls of residence. Some of the athletes who competed on the 17^th of April had never appeared on a competitive start list before. By creating this platform, the Sports and Games Union has given those swimmers a first taste of competitive racing, and in doing so, may well have ignited a passion that will carry them much further in the sport.

For the Mak Sharks, the event was also an opportunity to observe and engage with the broader swimming community at Makerere. The club, which has represented Makerere University at competitions ranging from the Uganda Aquatics National Championships to the World University FISU Games in Germany, is always on the lookout for talent that can be developed and nurtured into competitive swimmers. The Inter-Hall Championships provided exactly that kind of opportunity, and it is expected that some of the standout performers from the day will be invited to train with the university team in the months ahead.

Looking Forward: The Momentum Must Continue

The success of the 2026 Inter-Hall Swimming Championships should serve as a springboard, not a one-off occasion. The Sports and Games Union, the University Swimming Team, and the Mak Sharks are united in their belief that events like these need to become a regular fixture in the Makerere sporting calendar, growing in scale and ambition with each passing year.

There is also the matter of the swimmers who showed exceptional promise on the day. The responsibility now falls on the university’s sporting structures to follow up with those athletes, provide them with access to regular training, and give them a pathway into competitive swimming. Talent without opportunity fades. The 17^th of April showed that the talent is very much present at Makerere. The opportunity must now be created to match it.

The Mak Sharks extend their warmest congratulations to University Hall and Complex Hall for their respective victories, and to every athlete who took part in the Championships. You represented your halls with pride and your performances reminded everyone watching why swimming is one of the most compelling and beautiful sports in the world.

A final and heartfelt word of gratitude goes to the Makerere University Sports and Games Union, led by Mr. Brian Miiro, for organising and executing an event of this quality. Their work behind the scenes, and the work of every official, timekeeper, and volunteer who made the day possible, deserves to be recognised and celebrated. It is through initiatives like these that sport at Makerere continues to grow, and the entire university community is better for it.

The pool awaits. The next race is coming. And at Makerere, the water is always ready.

The Writer is a Volunteer in the Public Relations Office, Makerere University and the Mak Sharks PRO | Est. 2014

Photography by Patrick Kawaii: Instagram/WabwireJr