Rubongi Army SS makes history as first-ever USSSA Boys' Kho Kho champions

USSSA 2026 Kho Kho Champions

Boys
Rubongi Army SS

Girls
Kyambogo College

Rubongi Army Secondary School etched its name into the history books after becoming the first-ever Uganda Secondary Schools Sports Association (USSSA) boys' Kho Kho champions, underlining the rapid rise of the sport in schools across the country.

The Tororo-based school fought back from an early deficit to defeat neighbours Serere SS 51-27 in the final, securing the first national title in the school's history since it was established in 2004.

Rubongi's impressive campaign included dominant wins over Serere Township (75-35) and Serere SS (66-54) in the group stages. In the bronze medal match, Labori High School defeated Atiira Seed School 87-57.

In the girls' competition, Kyambogo College claimed the inaugural title with a 57-33 victory over St. Elizabeth Girls School, while Serere Township overcame Olio Seed School 61-40 to finish third.

Originally from India, Kho Kho has gained popularity in Ugandan schools because it is affordable, easy to introduce, and highly engaging. The fast-paced chasing game resembles the traditional Ugandan game kawuna, but incorporates structured rules, tactical play, and teamwork.

Rubongi coach Abednego Okello attributed the triumph to discipline and teamwork, noting that the school's preparations began only in April after introducing the sport earlier this year. "Our success came from hard training. The players understood the rules, executed their roles well, and worked together as a team," Okello said.

The squad was largely made up of Senior One and Senior Two students, with a few players transitioning from the school's netball team. Rubongi's title hopes appeared to be fading after Serere opened up an early lead, but substitute Joshua Alinda changed the course of the match with his pace and relentless tagging. "Our opponents underestimated him. Once he started eliminating players, the momentum shifted in our favour and the rest of the team gained confidence," Okello explained.

Captain David Odong, who switched from athletics to Kho Kho in March, credited the team's unity for the memorable comeback. "This is a sport that requires everyone to work together. We promised our head teacher we would return with the trophy, and we fulfilled that promise," he said.

Deputy head teacher Livin Mugisha said the victory reflects the school's investment in qualified coaches and co-curricular programmes. He revealed that nearly 200 students now participate in Kho Kho, making it one of the school's fastest-growing sports. "This is the first national trophy in our school's history. Our next target is to defend it and produce players for the national team," Mugisha said.

Kho Kho Uganda president Mustapha Nsubuga hailed the inaugural championship as a major milestone, saying the schools programme is laying a strong foundation for the sport's future. "The championship has been a huge success. It marks a historic step in the growth of Kho Kho in Uganda, and the future is very promising," he said.