After an amazing experience last Christmas in Nepal I decided this time of year would be my ‘big’ annual adventure going forward. Every trip starts out with one main intention and this time it was an eventual visit to Rwanda to see the Mountain Gorillas up close and personal after my travel buddy Casey put the suggestion on the table.
Once that was decided, the next step was a few hours flicking between Sofascore and Skyscanner, planning the cheapest route to the final destination via a country with a full football fixture schedule. And in this case I was drawn to their East African neighbours Uganda.
Christmas in Africa
Needless to say I got a few puzzled looks when explaining why I couldn’t attend the plethora of Christmas parties I turned down, but why the bloody hell not eh? I’ve got 11 months of the year to spend with family and friends so why not make the most of the extended holiday period and get away from the long cold rainy nights in Manchester.
My first flight on route to Uganda was booked and it had me stopping by in Cairo, Egypt. Chosen on the basis that Al Ahly were to play at home in the African Champions League to Belouizdad of Algeria, bonza, what a way to start the trip. But in typical style this was moved due to a FIFA Intercontinental Cup Semi Final that they somehow transpired to blow in the most dramatic of penalty shoot-outs.
This left me with nothing but a few iconic pyramid photos and some lovely social occasions to show for my time in Egypt. But the country left a mark and with so many friendly people and amazing cities and sights to see, I certainly intend to return someday to take in a match.
Time for a treat
Sadly without budget airlines in this part of Africa it was to be a rather expensive flight with Qatar Airways via Doha to get me to Entebbe, Uganda’s only international airport. However this flight was going to be one with a difference. Boarding in Doha, I was told that the plane had been downsized and I would need to change seat, what followed were the glorious words I’d been waiting all my life to hear.
“We’re going to offer you a free upgrade Sir”
“Play it cool Trig, play it cool”. I didn’t quite believe it until I took my seat. Champagne before take-off, the most polite and attentive staff. A 3 course meal chosen from a full menu and a wine list stating what food it would compliment. Truly bloody wonderful. When the delightful air hostess informed me it was a 6 hour flight I had a smile from ear to ear which didn’t shift for the whole journey.
I avoided the beer as this was a special occasion, and made sure I stayed on the right side of being too inebriated. The port with cheeseboard was a delightful way to finish off the meal before snoozing for the last hour. The best flight I’ll ever have put me in the highest of spirits for my late night arrival in Uganda, ‘The Pearl of Africa’.
‘The Pearl of Africa’
Placed on the Northern shores of Lake Victoria, Uganda’s nickname was coined by none other than Winston Churchill in his days as an explorer. He was inspired by the stunning landscapes, abundant wildlife and diversity emphasized by its 10 National Parks of incredible natural beauty. Particularly stunning are the Murchison Falls, Queen Elizabeth National Park and the Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary, that’s before even mentioning the inspiring work done to preserve the existence of Mountain Gorillas in the Bwindi Impenetrable National Park.
The 8th most populous country in Africa and one of the fastest growing with over 75% of their population under 30. The nation of approximately 50 million inhabitants became a protectorate of the British Empire in 1894. This helped to prevent a civil war between battling religious factions jostling for power at the time. Some 68 years later Uganda eased into independence.
In the intervening years, a military coup led by Idi Amin was one of the deadliest dictatorships in African History. In 1986 the National Resistance Party took control and the country has been led by Yoweri Kaguta Museveni ever since. Another key member of this group was the now Rwandan president Paul Kagame who we’ll hear a lot more about in future. Despite years of rebel fighting there is now a level of peace in Uganda, however these rebel groups still operate in the Democratic Republic of Congo and there is always the potential for instability, I’ll be watching intently to see if Museveni stands for 8th term in the next elections in 2026 and how things develop from there.
Off to the Capital
After a late night arrival in Entebbe I made a quick getaway the next day, nothing against the city, only that with limited time I aimed to head cross country to the touristic city of Jinja that evening. First up was a 45 minute minibus to Kampala which cost less that a quid, perfect. A seamless journey along the only high quality road in the country joining the airport to the capital. Driving on the left due to the historical colonial influences, all vehicles seemed to be Japanese to suit the right hand drive, unfortunately this led to many drivers being unable to operate the in car systems like radio and sat nav which was rather comical to observe.
Seconds before alighting, the lady on my right turned to me and in perfect English warned me that I shouldn’t walk around with my phone out and that it should be hidden at all times. The threat of having it snatched was real, as the week progressed I would be warned on countless occasions that it would likely be grabbed from my hand if I had it out. It was also reiterated that there wouldn’t be any violence in these robbing’s so if concealed there would be no issues.
However, this initial warning did leave me on edge and looking around feeling that I needed to be wary of everybody, not a nice feeling. Amazing how one piece of advice can leave you looking around like everyone is a criminal. The lady kindly chaperoned me to a safe space where I could call an Uber from a petrol station.
First incident of the trip
An Uber journey which was by far my strangest by the time we’d even left the petrol station. As we pulled out a Minibus collided in to the side of our car, a low speed crash which initially led to very little reaction from either driver. The bus reversed and steadily headed on his way up the road into the traffic.
My driver didn’t quite approve of that. He popped on the hazards, turned the engine off, stepped out of the vehicle and jumped on the back of a Boda Boda – the Ugandan name for a motorbike taxi. Off he went in search of the culprit….and I just waited in the back of the car. 5 minutes later I was none the wiser what was going on and remembered I could still ‘message driver’ on the app.
”Are you coming back mate?”
TIA
Not even lunchtime on Day 1 in Uganda and already I was saying ‘TIA’, ‘This is Africa’. He eventually returned without locating the driver and looking rather downbeat. On completion of the journey I let him keep the change from a tenner which will go a long way in this part of the world and returned a big smile to his face.
I must say, downtown Kampala was probably the most vibrant and chaotic place I have ever been to. Music blaring from every other shop, people squeezing past each other in the street on their way to trade goods of some sort or other, it made Christmas shopping on Oxford Street seem like a Sunday Afternoon stroll in the countryside.
The lack of cars in this area made things even more chaotic as every centimetre of space was battled for with bikes, motorbikes and pedestrians all trying to get to their next destination. A feeling that really gets the heart racing and makes you feel alive, just a shame I couldn’t film any of the fervour due to the obvious risks involved.
Crazy but calm
In the coming days I noticed the lack of road rage as exemplified by the Uber crash, and in hindsight, in Egypt and India before that, it seemed the more reckless the driving, the more tolerant the drivers, the horns are constant as a sign that you are there but nothing more. One time a lad had his bike half trapped under a car, a couple of exchanged looks, a brief reversal from the car to free up the bike and off they both went, a rather interesting dynamic.
Next up the pandemonium of Kampala Taxi Park, Taxi being the name for the minibuses that go both around and between the cities. After a passer-by helpfully directed me to the Taxi to Jinja I took my place amongst the locals. By now the heat was picking up and the humidity was rising, it’d be nice to be on the road for the lengthy journey and get some breeze flowing through the vehicle. But not in Africa, memories of my last visit to this part of the world in Tanzania some 10 years earlier came flooding back. These Taxi’s don’t leave on a schedule, they leave when they’re full.
Countless people pop their heads in the window trying to sell everything you can imagine that can be carried in a container on your head, from fresh food and drink to electronics. Polite smile and no thank you, times 50. The wait continued but this is not a part of the world to get stressed or impatient, it’s just not how they roll, you just have to take a deep breath, get in the zone and go with the flow, otherwise you’ll be searching for the first plane home within a couple of days. An hour or so later we finally made our way out of the Taxi Park and on to the manic bumpy roads out of Kampala. 4 hours later landing in Jinja and straight on a Boda to the hostel.
Calm amongst the chaos
A serene, peaceful and tranquil ambience where I bumped into my two new roommates for the next couple of days. Miguel from Spain in his late 40’s who had travelled to 120+ countries and Gavin from Newcastle living a similar style existence to myself. Over the next few days it was a pleasure to chat with such likeminded people in the same age bracket.
Jinja is known as Uganda’s adventure capital. Plenty of adrenaline packed activities to keep you entertained, White Water Rafting, Bungee Jumping and the more relaxing Tubing. It is also the location for the source of the Nile River so heading out on a river cruise is another popular activity. Due to doing some of these later in the trip and general bad planning….I ended up doing none of the above.
A gentle venture downtown to check out the intensity of the local markets was about as dramatic as it got for me, but this was a joy in itself and even managed to pick up the national team footy shirt for a bargain £4. On our return we spotted a footy match about to kick off, sadly my bad planning meant we couldn’t stay and watch, but the collection of enormous spiders behind the goals meant it wasn’t the worst feeling. God bless those goalkeepers retrieving the ball from there.
Lousy tourist
Much like Egypt, I’d failed as a tourist but had some very fulfilling and enjoyable discussions with new found friends. Quite often these can be the most rewarding part of these adventures, especially when you can get a bottle of Nile for less than £2 to compliment the mood. As well as the wonderful company, we were continually impressed by the beautiful fresh food in Uganda, whether it be the local dish Rolex or the Tilapia fished directly out of the Nile. And with Bananas so sweet and tasty it was easy to see why Uganda has the highest Banana consumption per capita in the world.
My time in Jinja was done so it was back to the capital to see what it had to offer. Typically, I’d left late in the day after lunching by the Nile, so by the time we were stuck in traffic on the outskirts of Kampala, day with quickly turning into night.
As the darkness descended, my fellow Taxi passengers who had previously shown no indication of speaking English began to warn me not to step out of the bus to let people off and to do all I could to keep the world from knowing there was a tourist on the bus. These warnings again put me on edge and even had me avoiding eye contact through the closed windows as the locals peered in from the unlit streets. Eventually I arrived safely in Kampala but miles from my hostel. I found the nearest security guards, fully equipped with rifles before getting my phone out to call a Boda via Uber. Safely back at the hostel it was finally time to relax and enjoy a couple of beers.
Time for some footy
Finally the day I’d been waiting for, Match day. Through the Couchsurfing app I’d managed to locate someone who was actually interested in Ugandan Football. English Premier League? Everyone has a team and most seemed genuinely keen, but to find someone who supported the local game was a rarity. So when I met up with Mai I was impressed to hear her knowledge on the sport, talking about the rivalries and the years she had spent watching as her cousin had played at the top level here.
Given there were a few fixtures in the capital over the days I had in Kampala I left it to Mai to decide which would be best and she suggested the derby between Kampala Capital City Authority FC and Sports Club Villa, bringing together the 2 most successful teams in the history of Ugandan Football, perfect timing.
As with so many countries, football was introduced to Uganda by British Missionaries in 1897 and that influence has remained to this day and football remains the national sport of Uganda with tremendous love for the Premier League. What is now the Federation of Ugandan Football Associations (FUFA) was formed in 1924 and 2 years later the National Team – The Cranes, named after the national bird – made their debut on the international stage with a 1-1 Draw vs Kenya.
A near miss
The highlight of Ugandan football came in 1978 when they made the final of the African Nations Cup but sadly couldn’t get over the line for victory as they suffered a 2-0 defeat to Ghana at the final hurdle. Although very much against the odds, they will have another stab at the title later this year as they have successfully qualified for the 2025 AFCON to be held in Morocco….see you there? If not maybe back here in 2027 when Uganda will co-host with East African neighbours Tanzania and Kenya.
The Inaugural National Ugandan league which now has 2 professional divisions was established in 1968, and won by Prisons FC, now known as Maroons FC. 30 of the 55 titles since then have been shared between today’s adversaries in KCC and SC Villa. Villa won their first in 1982 and proceeded to dominate Ugandan football winning 16 of the next 22 championships. Strangely 20 years in the wilderness followed before returning to the top of the pile last year, hopes of retaining that position look like a distant dream as they lie in 8th place going into this evenings encounter.
Clash of the Titans
KCC on the other hand are looking to add to their 13 titles and their first since 2019. Currently lying 3rd in the table but like Villa, struggling for form, a win was very much needed to keep them in touch with their rivals.
Stadium MTN Omondi was the venue of tonight’s clash, MTN, the telecom company being the sponsor and Philip Omondi a club legend who played and managed KCC. He also represented his country including being the tournament’s top scorer in the aforementioned 1978 AFCON run to the final. The stadium was very much under construction for the night’s encounter despite recent reassurances it would be complete by December 24, this was way off the mark and it remained a building site as we took our seats in the VIP section.
The previous stadium would barely meet non-league regulations in the UK but the new stand was going to be a cracker and bring the attendance up to 10,000. This was quite a unique occurence as we literally walked through the building site and were just free to roam, the differing health and safety standards in various parts of the world never fails to make me smile. I do love the African attitude of ‘If you do something stupid then it’s your fault’ compared to the English way of somehow blaming the building owner.
Unique VIP section
The makeshift VIP section was literally made up of white plastic chairs, admittedly with the best view in the stadium. There was even a VVIP section reserved for the most important of spectators including politicians and former coaches. Their additional entitlement was a yellow cover over their white plastic chair.
Back to the nights proceedings and as the teams kicked off the match started at a good pace with real desire and passion. There was no holding back in the tackles and players were still flying in whole heartedly to a challenges they had no chance of winning. They played football like the Boda drivers rode through town, with one single mission and no regard for their own personal safety, quite a joy to watch. Also worth noting, there was little time wasting and rolling around, no doubt influenced by years of watching the Premier League rather than La Liga.
Half time came without much action but things livened up somewhat in the second period. Sadat Anaku rose highest at the back post to give KCC the lead in the 64th minute, only for Patrick Jonah Kakande to equalize for SC Villa four minutes later, despite doing everything he could to miss the easiest chance he’ll ever have.
Some life in the stadium
Finally the energetic fans had something to cheer about and we could enjoy that lively African energy around the stadium. Villa came close again when Charles Lwanga cut in from the left and struck the bar with a thunderous effort from a tight angle. KCC also came close on the break but it was to remain 1-1 and probably a fair result all round with neither side doing enough to deserve the 3 points.
A really enjoyable game to be at, it very much had an English non-league feeling about the whole place and my first opportunity to watch a game from a construction site sharing one unlit Portaloo between us. Beer was also sold out of a cool box just behind us, overall very raw and authentic and a stadium I look forward to seeing in action once the main stand is fully complete.
The completed renovation will be one small step in repairing the reputation of Ugandan Football which has suffered in recent years due to cases of match fixing. Last year, 13 individuals, including 10 referees were banned by FUFA. Sadly it’s not the first time Ugandan football has been embroiled in a similar scandal. In 2003, SC Villa needed a major turnaround in goal difference to snatch the title when they took on already relegated Akol FC on the final day of the season.
Dark days for Ugandan Football
Needless to say title rival Express FC had reason to feel suspicious when they came off the pitch to hear that Villa had pulled out a miraculous 22-1 victory to win the league by 3 goals. Well to win by 1 would have been a bit too obvious right? Amazingly the result stood but there was a drop off in support and media coverage due to the complete loss of any integrity of the domestic game.
In 2015 in this very fixture, a contentious penalty decision and a later Red Card led to pitch invasions and eventual abandonment of the game, again suspicions of foul play from the referee was at the forefront of the fans thoughts.
I must admit at the time of the contest I wasn’t aware of the match fixing history but later in my trip in Rwanda I was told it was possible to get information for Ugandan football and bet on it, it’s abundantly clear now how prevalent the issue is.
As much as it was great to see two of the best teams in the country, Mai also taught me about the Tribal tournaments that they have here in Uganda. There are 56 tribes in total making it one of the most ethnically diverse countries in Africa. Baganda is the most influential tribe in the country and their language of Lugandan is the most widely spoken in the country. The Bika Bya Baganda Football Championship is the best known in the country and had been held since 1950, an amazing concept that continues to promote the traditions and fosters cultural unity, again it’d be something cool to return to see someday.
The party continues
Post-match we had no set plan but thankfully Mai was up for continuing the festivities so we took the short 5 minute walk to Kyadondo Rugby Club which basically doubled up as a nightclub. A great vibe and atmosphere where the beer kept on flowing, the perfect way to end the night after stopping by a couple of other bars before home.
The next morning my only plan was to grab some food and watch Man City play the English Villa on TV. The destination of choice was to take the 45 minute ride down to Lake Victoria where the fish was being taken straight from the lake right in front of our eyes. We selected our fish and enjoyed the vibes with typical Ugandan Band music keeping the spirits high. While the food was prepared and cooked we chilled out watching the continuation of Man City’s miraculous fall from grace. What a way to while away the afternoon, the Tilapia was stunning and left us thoroughly satisfied and ready for a breather.
This pretty much rounded off my time in Uganda and it was time to depart, I’d always planned to go for the overland border crossing into Rwanda. But when my alarm went off at 5am and I could hear the torrential rain outside hammering off the corregated tin roofs, I was wishing I’d opted for the £100 hour long flight, but hey ho, we’re here for an adventure right?
Doesn’t seem too bad???
Back in the comfort of my own home back in Manchester, the 9 hours on google map didn’t seem too terrible. Warnings of crazy traffic as people headed back to the villages for Christmas and some less than efficient roads meant I could be in for a surprise as people laughed in my face at the suggestion of 9 hours.
The Uber driver picked me up and as we passed the nightclubs there were still partying revellers well into the early hours, a staple of the Kampala nightlife despite the weather. I took my seat on the toilet free bus and vowed not to drink a thing until I arrived in Rwanda. We set off punctually and my time in Uganda was coming to an end.
A pastor of some sort came on to bless the bus and the travellers on this journey which was a lovely touch, but somewhat ironically as he delivered his final message the driver clipped a passing Boda rider who spun out into the road sliding through the puddles, but in typical Ugandan style, he just got up, jumped back on his bike and went on his way. The horrendous downpour really left its mark on the city but thankfully the bus powered through and once out of the city there were no issues, passing over the Equator and then the Rwandan border added some interest to the journey.
Feeling rather alien
The border incurred a full baggage search and the story of Rwanda not allowing plastic bags was validated when the guard removed a loose bag and chucked it in the bin. Can’t fault him. I must say in all my travels I’d never felt so ‘different’ than at that border crossing. The way a couple of the locals looked me up and down in just sheer amazement at the colour of my skin, or maybe just my suspect attire, was really quite striking. All done with intrigue rather than anything more sinister but it always adds a little extra to the experience.
After a mini wobble at the border I gathered my composure and got back to it. We immediately switched to driving on the right and I spent half an hour with my head out the window waving to the passers by who were delighted to return the greeting, a heart-warming experience, all in all, not a terrible journey and when I arrived in Kigali some 16 hours after departure I was well and truly ready for a rest.
And that was that, another country visited and a wonderful adventure. A nation I knew next to nothing about before visiting, despite the threat of phone robbery, in reality, I didn’t encounter even the slightest moment where anyone had made me feel uncomfortable. The local people were smiley, friendly and incredibly welcoming without being overbearing. A perfect balance.
So what did we think?
But, what about for a Footy Trip, as always, I’ll rate Uganda as a Footy Trip out of 100 across 10 different categories and let you know if it’s worth a visit.
Team Ability – City rivals Vipers SC are currently leading the way as the best club in Uganda ranked 49th in Africa, that fact and the quality I saw on show it’s hard to score them highly – 2/10
Atmosphere – One goal behind the net had a lively atmosphere throughout and generally good vibes, especially once the action on the pitch got more entertaining – 6/10
Stadium Quality – In the midst of renovation with one unlit portaloo to share between us, not that it stops the stand being used, should be a brilliant place to watch football once complete – 3/10
Beer/Food at stadium – Beer was cheap and charmingly served out of a cool box in VIP, also seemed pretty easy to bring in your own booze within limits, sadly no food or snacks though – 6/10
Tourism – A country with an immense depth of natural wonders to go and see though quite a distance from the captivating yet largely tourism free capital – 5/10
Accessibility – Nightmare to get to and a bit of an effort getting around but very pleasant prices on arrival – 3/10
People – People were lovely and friendly from my experience and had a wonderful time with them, however there are issues of phone snatching to keep you on your toes and the unfortunate fact that homosexuality is illegal. Despite public opinion shifting in the right direction, this is still a law that is supported by many – 6/10
Stadium Surroundings – Walking distance from a nice mall with decent restaurants and a brilliant nightclub just around the corner at the local rugby club – 8/10
History – The second most successful team in Uganda but with no real continental success and no exposure outside of the region – 2/10
Ease/Cost of ticket purchase – Tickets can be purchase from as low as £2 and be picked up outside the stadium on the day, can’t beat it really– 10/10
Total – 51/100
Not somewhere I’d specifically visit for football but a really cool country and worth dropping in if you’re in the region. If ticking off countries then there will be plenty of choice of games to watch in Kampala
Accomplishments
For me in terms of personal accomplishments on this trip. It’s the 26th country I’ve watched footy and the first in Africa bringing me to 5 continents, just Australasia and Antarctica to go
An absolute pleasure as always to travel around the world enjoying the delights on offer, thanks again for joining me and until the next Footy Trip, take it easy