How Mubiru and protege Meeme delivered Africa Netball Cup glory

Their relationship began on the court, with Rashid Mubiru as coach and Ruth Meeme as one of his players.

Years later, the two have reunited on the technical bench, and this time, they are celebrating a continental title together.

Mubiru and Meeme guided Uganda to the 2026 Africa Netball Cup title in Nairobi, Kenya, marking their first major championship triumph as a coaching duo.

For Mubiru, the victory was especially significant. He had previously reached several continental finals without winning the coveted trophy, making the Nairobi triumph a welcome addition to his coaching CV.

"We had a strategy going into the championship. Our plan was to make short passes rather than long ones, be patient with the ball and avoid putting ourselves under pressure. We had meetings before the games where we briefed the players about our strategy and system of play," Mubiru said.

The coach believes discipline and patience were key to Uganda's success.

"I have always reached the continental finals but have never won the trophy. I am so excited about this victory and hoping for more to come," he said.

The tournament also gave the technical team an opportunity to test new players, something Mubiru believes will be important as Uganda builds a bigger pool of talent.

From player to Assistant Coach

Meeme's journey with Mubiru has come full circle.

Mubiru coached her at St Mary's Kitende, NIC netball club and later with the national team, the She Cranes. Having once been his player, Meeme is now working alongside him as an assistant coach.

Mubiru said he has confidence in Meeme's abilities and gives her room to use her strengths.

"She was once a player and a good one. She has a lot of abilities and she has a good relationship with the players," Mubiru said.

That relationship with the players has become one of Meeme's strengths on the technical bench.

For Meeme, the Africa Netball Cup triumph is also an important milestone in her development as a female coach.

"We worked together as a technical team, trusting the new players that they could perform. When you look at the Africa team, it was different from the Commonwealth Games team. Even the players were determined to win this trophy," Meeme said.

"My CV is growing as a female coach. It shows that we can achieve a lot. It motivates former players that they can achieve once they are given an opportunity to be part of the technical team," she said.

Meeme also credits Mubiru for playing an important role in her transition from player to coach.

"He was my former coach at Kitende, NIC and the national team. He believed in me when I was a player, and he believes in me now. He knows the abilities I have and allows me to execute them," she said.

World Cup preparations

With the continental title secured, the technical team has already turned its attention to the next challenge: the World Cup.

Meeme believes Uganda must start preparations early and play more international matches, particularly against higher-ranked opposition.

"As we head to the World Cup, we need early preparations. We had little training time for the Africa Cup, but we still performed well. We need to have friendlies with teams ranked above us so that the new players can blend into the team and gain experience," she said.

Both coaches believe that their first major trophy represents more than just a trophy. It is the reward for teamwork, trust and a relationship that has evolved from coach and player to colleagues on the technical bench.