Uganda’s young swimmers eye Zone III glory as captains rally team for title defence

For Uganda’s swimmers, defending the Africa Aquatics Zone III title is about more than keeping the trophy at home. It is about proving that the country’s dominance in the pool can continue, nurturing emerging talent and showing that the next generation is ready to carry the flag.

With the championships set to take place in Kampala from October 21 to 25, 2026, the message from the coaching staff and team captains is clear: discipline, teamwork and a determination to improve will be crucial to Uganda’s chances of success.

Coach Allan Kiiza, one of the coaches guiding the swimming team, believes Uganda has assembled a strong squad capable of delivering another memorable championship.

“We have over 80 athletes on Team A and 60 athletes on Team B. I think together we have put up a very strong team this time around, and we are certain Uganda will be retaining the trophy for the Africa Aquatics Zone III Championship,” Kiiza said.

The decision to field two teams is particularly significant, allowing more swimmers to experience regional competition while giving Uganda a broader pool of talent from which to build for the future.

“The competition itself is very important because, first of all, it is being hosted at home. We get to come with two teams, Team A and Team B. So, it allows so many athletes to take part in the event,” he explained.

Allan Kiiza

For Kiiza, the opportunity extends beyond medals and team standings. The championships offer swimmers a chance to test themselves against regional opposition, improve their personal bests and gain experience that will be valuable as they progress to higher levels of competition.

Uganda will also benefit from competing in an eight-lane pool, an improvement on the six-lane facilities the team has used in previous editions.

Kiiza believes the facility at Kampala International School Uganda (KISU) is well suited to hosting the championships, providing wider lanes and helping organisers manage the programme more efficiently by reducing the number of heats required.

“The pool is very suitable. It has large lanes, and it is ideal for the competition that we are holding in Uganda,” he said.

Among the swimmers he expects to make an impression are Tyra Muganzi, Zara Mbanga and Manuel Kitibwa, whom he identified as athletes to watch during the five-day competition.

Their performances will be among the highlights for a team hoping to combine individual progress with collective success.

Swimming captain (Male) Nathan Nsereko says Uganda must maintain the standards that have established its reputation as one of the region’s leading swimming nations.

Having enjoyed consistent success at previous editions, the team understands the expectations that come with defending its title on home soil.

“The expectations are to maintain a reputation that the country has built over the years, and that has been consistent first places across Zone III. We have been doing this for quite so many years, and we expect to maintain this,” Nsereko said.

Nathan Nsereko

For him, the path to another title does not require a complicated new formula. Instead, it calls for a return to the fundamentals that have served Uganda well: discipline, punctuality and professionalism.

“The basics are required. We need a lot of discipline across the teams, both in time management and how we conduct ourselves here at the pool. Nothing new; we are used to competing,” he added.

Female captain Crystal Semanda, 15, shares that belief but knows Uganda will have to work hard to stay ahead of its regional rivals.

Semanda was part of the team that competed in Kenya last year when Uganda successfully defended its title. That experience has given her a clearer understanding of the challenge ahead, particularly with Kenya and other countries expected to bring strong competition to Kampala.

“I feel really privileged to lead this team because I believe I know everyone’s potential, and I hope that we will all win this year,” she said.

She is equally aware that past victories will count for little once the swimmers step onto the starting blocks.

“This year it won’t be any easier. The Kenyans are also very talented, as well as the other countries, so we have to all pull up our socks and be the best,” Semanda said.

Crystal Semanda (L)

Her message is one of collective responsibility. Uganda cannot depend on a handful of standout swimmers alone; the team will need contributions across the squad, whether through race victories, personal-best times or valuable points towards the overall standings.

Away from the swimming lanes, another Ugandan team is preparing to embrace the spotlight.

For the country’s water polo players, the Africa Aquatics Zone III Championships represent an opportunity to compete on a bigger stage, gain experience and help grow a sport that is still developing in the region.

Captain Ampaire Namanya is particularly excited about the opportunity, describing the competition as a significant step forward for the team.

“I’m really excited. It’s our first time doing it at such a stage,” Namanya said.

Uganda previously participated in water polo in 2021, but Namanya explained that the experience was largely a demonstration rather than the competitive opportunity the team now has.

“We’ve done it previously in 2021, but that was more for show. Now this is more competitive, so it’s a new experience, and we’re hoping to win it this year in Uganda,” he added.

Victoria Ssaka and Ampaire Namanya

For Victoria Ssaka, the female Captain, the championships carry an even more personal significance. It is her first time competing for the national team, and she is eager to make the most of the opportunity.

“It’s my first time competing on the national team, more or less even in Water Polo. I’m excited, and so far, from our training, our team is ready to win. I’m just excited to go and compete,” Ssakasaid.

She is joined by Abigail Mwagale to make the only 2 females on the Water Polo team. Ssaka trained with Mwagale, with whom she trained before earning her place on the team. Ssaka said the selection was rewarding because it reflected the effort both swimmers had invested in their preparations.

“Both of us put in a lot of work, and we were both very happy to see that the work we put in helped us to get to where we are,” she said.

Despite the players’ enthusiasm, water polo still faces the challenge of building a stronger profile in Uganda and across the region.

Ampaire believes regular competitions will be key to changing that, giving players more opportunities to develop while making the sport more visible to potential participants and supporters.

“The current person in charge of water polo, Coach Eric, suggested that we are going to do more competitions, and that will bring us more publicity in this sport,” he explained.

Ampaire hopes that increased activity will eventually open doors to international competition, allowing Ugandan players to represent the country and the region on a wider stage.

“With more competitions engaging, it will be very famous, and hopefully we can even start doing international ones where we represent the region internationally. And we get more recognition once we start winning there,” he added.

For now, the immediate task is to translate training into competitive performances.

Ssaka says the team has been practising together at least once a week, while individual players continue training daily. She believes the regular work and the familiarity among teammates could give Uganda an advantage when the matches begin.

Most of the players come from the same team, a factor she believes has helped them build chemistry and understand one another’s strengths.

Uganda will face opposition from Burundi, Djibouti, Kenya, Rwanda, Somalia, Sudan and Tanzania, with competition across the swimming events and water polo adding another dimension to the championships.

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