Swimmers impress in the Uganda Aquatics National Swim League-One

By Michael Nsubuga           February 16, 2026

With a new twist added to the Uganda Aquatics league meets, requiring swimmers to meet qualifying times to participate in the nationals, most swimmers came out guns blazing and impressed in the season opener at the Kampala Parents Swimming Pool in Naguru on Sunday.

Before the nationals in July, the swimmers will have to prove themselves at the three league meets and hit the qualifying times to be considered for the nationals.

According to Uganda Aquatics president Moses Mwase, the league is a precursor to the other events they will use to select the national teams for various international assignments. 

Events this year include the Africa Aquatics Junior and Senior Championship in Ghana in May, the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow in July, the Youth Olympics in Senegal, the World Aquatics Short Course Championships, and the 12th edition of the Africa Aquatics Zone 3 Championships, to be hosted by Uganda in October.

The two-day event attracted over 500 swimmers. Arthur Mwase, 17, of Sailfish Swim Club, delivered the best endurance and fastest time with a personal best of 9:30.09 in the 32-lap 800m race for boys 11 and over, significantly surpassing the qualifying time of 12:55.32.

 Pendo Kaumi, 19, of Dolphins Swim Club, finished second with a time of 9:44.21, while Benjamin Lutaaya of Gators Swim Club placed third in 9:58.39. Adam Hussein Katumba of Altona and Shadrach Mwebaze of Dolphins achieved personal bests of 10:00.00 and 10:06.91, respectively.

But, Kaumi earned the highest points in the 17 and over category over two days, scoring 62, ahead of Gators’ Ethani Ssengooba (59), Imara Aquatics’ Ampaire Namanya (41), Aqua Akii’s Tendo Mukalazi (40), and Mwase (37). In the few races he swam, Mukalazi was also outstanding, winning the 50m backstroke in 27.55, beating Mathew Mwase and Ssengooba by 0.82 and 1.17 seconds, respectively. 

He also won the 200m freestyle in 1:59.36, finishing ahead of Ssengooba (2:02.92) and Arthur Mwase (2:03.41). Jaguars’ Zara Marie Mbanga set a personal best of 10:17.49 in the 800m race for girls aged 11 and over, leading Kirabo Paloma (10:26.05) and Shivon Nagginda (10:50.44). These three athletes were the top individual performers in their category, earning 20, 17, and 16 points, respectively.

In the 15-16 age group, Torpedoes’ Jonathan Kaweesa and Theresa Kikambi led the boys’ and girls’ categories with 75 and 66 points. Black Panthers’ Payton Ssekitto (55 points) and Jeremiah Magera (47 points), along with Karen Mwangi (57.50 points) and Abigail Mwagale (57 points), also delivered strong performances. 

Kaweesa won the 100m freestyle in 1:11.11, ahead of Ssekitto (1:13.53) and Aquatic Academy’s Kigundu Ssango (1:15.39), and claimed victory in the 50m backstroke in 29.70, beating Angello Kagina (31.59) and Elisha Kato (32.01). In the 11-12 boys’ category, Imara Aquatics’ Kristian Bwisho Mugumya excelled with 80 points, outperforming Shane Mugenyi, Jeremiah Ssempijja, Ibrahim Lule, Kyle Kayongo, Berekiah Lutaaya, Malachi Ssali, Luke Ssimbwa, Ashley Kimuli, and Austin Wanyama. The 10&under standouts included Blue Whales Aquatic Ventures Adams Aya, Vision for Africa’s Blessing Namugga, Gabrielle Amaya, Geremiah Opolot, Tzion Tamale, and Elisha Rukundo. Tyrah Muganzi, Mbanga, and Gabriella Opolot also put in a good shift in the girls’ 13-14 category.

“The performance we have witnessed over the two days implies that by July there would be even better performances. We thank the coaches for the work done and we know in the future all clubs will be able to present swimmers who can all feature in the national championship,” Tonnie Kasujja, the Uganda Aquatics vice president-technical, said.

He said in the nationals, there would be six heats per age category in the short 50m races, four heats for the 200 and 400m races while the longer races will have one or two heats depending on the size of the pool used.

Top 3 per category—Individual Scores

10 & Under Girls

1 Adams Aya (Blue Whales Aquatic Venture) 56pts

2 Namugga Blessing (Vision for Africa) 49

3 Gabrielle Amaya (Otters Swim Club) 46

10-Year-Old Girls

1 Amaro Sonia (Gliders Swim Club) 40

2 Nissy Emokor (Otters Swim Club)

10-Year-Old Boys

1 Elijah Segujja Muwanguzi (Altona) 20

11-12 Girls

1 Nabatanzi, Mushirah (Aquatic Academy) 73

2 Ihunde Alba (Imara Aquatics) 63

3 Lumu Liora Kengonzi (Altona) 57

11-12 Boys

1 Bwisho Kristian Mugumya (Imara Aquatics) 80

2 Shane Mugenyi (Otters Swim Club) 67

3 Ssempijja Jeremiah (Imara Aquatics) 50

13-14 Girls

1 Muganzi Tyrah (Gliders Swim Club) 67

2 Mbanga Zara Marie (Jaguar Swim Club) 60

3 Opolot Gabriella (Ozpreys Swim Club) 57

13-14 Boys

1 Katumba Adam Hussein (Altona) 64pts

2 Ayesiga Elijah (Torpedoes Swim Club) 62

3 Benjamin Ssali (Black Panthers) 61

15-16 Girls

1 Kikambi Theresa (Dolphins Swim Club) 66

2 Mwangi Karen (Sailfish Swim Club Kampala) 57 50  

3 Abigail Mwagale (Altona) 57

15-16 Boys

1 Kaweesa Jonathan (Torpedoes Swim Club) 75

2 Ssekitto Payton (Black Panthers Swim Club 55

3 Magera, Jeremiah (Dolphins Swim Club) 47

11 & Over Girls

1 Mbanga Zara Marie (Jaguar Swim Club) 20

2 Kirabo Paloma (Gators Swim Club) 17

3 Nagginda, Shivon (Jaguar Swim Club) 16

11 & Over Boys

1 Mwase, Arthur (Sailfish Swim Club) 20

2 Kaumi Pendo (Dolphins Swim Club Kampala) 17

3 Lutaaya Benjamin (Gators Swim Club Kampala) 16

17 & Over Girls

1 Nakasule Rahmah Kalungi (Aquatic Academy) 72

2 Kukundakwe Husnah (Gators Swim Club) 57

3 Kisawuzi Tara (Altona) 54

17 & Over Boys

1 Kaumi, Pendo (Dolphins Swim Club) 62

2 Ssengooba Ethani (Gators Swim Club) 59

3 Ampaire Namanya (Imara Aquatics) 41