Business in Kawempe Division came to a standstill for nearly an hour on Wednesday as hundreds of jubilant residents turned out to give a heroic welcome to Kawempe Muslim Ladies FC, fresh from their historic triumph in the 2026 CAF Women’s Champions League CECAFA zonal qualifiers in Rwanda.
The champions arrived in Bwaise at exactly 1:00pm, triggering scenes of celebration as the community lined the streets to honour a team that has etched its name into Ugandan football history.
Led by a Traffic Police escort vehicle, the colourful procession made its way from the Bwaise Flyover through the Kawempe Police and Kawempe Hospital areas, before proceeding past Tick Hotel and Keeti Falaawo en route to Kawempe Muslim Secondary School.
A band added to the carnival atmosphere as supporters, residents and well-wishers filled the streets, celebrating the players and technical team for their landmark continental achievement.
Kawempe Muslim Ladies secured the CECAFA zonal title after edging Kenya Police Bullets 1-0 in a tense final that went into extra time following a goalless 90 minutes.
Agnes Nabukenya emerged as the heroine, scoring in the 100th minute to deliver the decisive blow and crown Kawempe regional champions.
Their road to the title also included a commanding 3-0 semi-final victory over Commercial Bank of Ethiopia (CBE), the 2024 champions.
The emphatic win carried an added sense of redemption for Kawempe, who had been eliminated by CBE at the same stage of the 2024 edition after suffering a 2-1 defeat in Ethiopia.
Two years later, Kawempe turned the tables in emphatic fashion, sweeping aside the Ethiopian giants before overcoming Kenya Police Bullets to complete a memorable campaign.
The triumph has secured Kawempe Muslim Ladies a place at the 2026 CAF Women’s Champions League finals in Morocco, where they will make history as the first Ugandan club to compete at the tournament’s finals.
