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Uganda Secondary Schools Sports Association (USSSA) greenlit the participation of nine secondary school teams at this year’s edition of the USSSA national championships due in Masaka and Luwero districts starting this Friday.

The nine that comprise of five boys’ and four girls’ teams had failed to qualify on merit from their respective zones across the country but in a statement dated April 23, 2024, from USSSA chief executive officer Chris Mugisha, they have been cleared to take part.

“This is to inform all stakeholders that the following schools have been cleared to participate in this year’s national championships,” Mugisha said in the statement without detailing the reasons.

They include Bulo Parents (Mpigi zone), Jinja Progressive (JIPRA-Busoga), Old Kampala (Kampala), St Charles Lwanga Kasasa (Masaka) and London College (Wakiso) that have been cleared to take part in the USSSA national boys’ championship in Masaka.

The girls’ teams that have been added are Jinja Progressive, Maryhill High School Mbarara (Ankole), La Mennais SS (Masaka) and Standard High School Zzana (Wakiso) for the USSSA Girls football championship due at Ndejje SS, Luwero from April 26 to May 6, 2024.

The 2024 USSSA Elite Games boys’ football winners Jinja Progressive, commonly known as JIPRA, have for a long time been a soccer powerhouse in Jinja rivalling Jinja SS but were eliminated at the quarterfinal stage by Tawheed in the Busoga zone qualifiers, before rivals Jinja SS won the title.

Old Kampala SS, the USSSA boys football (formerly Copa Coca Cola) two-time winners (2003 and 1999), also got the nod to the national showpiece having failed to make it through the Kampala zonal qualifiers and will be joined by hosts St Charles Lwanga Kasasa.

The nine schools are said to have formally written to the association asking for a chance to showcase, with the slots having been availed through replacing teams that pulled out at the last hour.