Mbalangu and Byekwaso lead race to manage URA FC

URA FC has parted ways with head coach Alex Isabirye, placing Edward Golola in interim charge as the club begins its search for a permanent replacement.

The decision was confirmed on Tuesday, November 25, following Isabirye’s exit a day earlier.

“URA FC and Head Coach Alex Isabirye have mutually agreed to part ways. His exit also includes the departure of Assistant Coaches Richard Kasule, Crespo Asiku, and Goalkeeping Coach Damba Jamil,” read a statement from the club.

Isabirye’s departure, along with his full technical team, comes after a poor start to the season in which URA collected only eight points from a possible 21, leaving them 11th on the Uganda Premier League table. Golola has been retained to guide the team temporarily.

“In the interim, Edward Golola will assume the Head Coach role and lead the team. The club will announce a new permanent Head Coach and technical team in due course,” the statement added.

Two names have emerged as frontrunners for the role: Hussein Mbalangu and Morley Byekwaso. Former NEC head coach Mbalangu, currently unattached, remains one of the league’s most respected tacticians.

His reputation was bolstered last season when he guided NEC to a second-place finish in the Uganda Premier League and reached the 2024 Stanbic Uganda Cup final.

His success has attracted interest from several clubs, including newly promoted Buhimba United Saints FC and Rwanda’s Bugesera FC. URA had already been monitoring his situation as uncertainty grew around Isabirye’s future.

Meanwhile, former Uganda Cranes coach Morley Byekwaso is also a strong contender. He last guided the national team during the CHAN 2024 tournament, co-hosted by Uganda, Kenya, and Tanzania, which concluded in August 2025.

Under his leadership, the Cranes made history by reaching the quarterfinals for the first time after defeating South Africa. His experience at both national and club level makes him a serious candidate for the URA job.

Isabirye returned to URA in May 2023, replacing David Obua, with hopes of restoring the club’s glory. During his second stint, he managed 36 matches, winning 17, drawing nine, and losing 10.