Watambala, Ssebuufu, Ahimbisibwe, Kigozi and Mangoli Vie for SUPL MVP award
Vipers midfielder Abdulkarim Watambala played a key role in their successful title defence, contributing 12 goals and four assists as the Venoms secured an eighth league crown.
Abdulkarim Watambala. Courtesy photo
Abdulkarim Watambala, Frank Ssebuufu, Ivan Ahimbisibwe, Ambrose Kigozi, and Raymond Barasa Mangoli on Friday learn who has been crowned the Most Valuable Player (MVP) of the season at the StarTimes Uganda Premier League (SUPL) Awards ceremony set for Kati Kati Restaurant in Lugogo, Kampala.
Each of the nominees has enjoyed a standout campaign with their respective clubs, delivering consistent performances that shaped their teams’ fortunes throughout the season.
Vipers midfielder Abdulkarim Watambala played a key role in their successful title defence, contributing 12 goals and four assists as the Venoms secured an eighth league crown.
SC Villa’s Frank Ssebuufu also impressed, scoring nine goals and providing five assists. Many of his decisive contributions proved crucial in helping the Jogoos secure a third-place finish on 61 points, just six behind champions Vipers.
KCCA forward Ivan Ahimbisibwe enjoyed a prolific debut season, finishing as the league’s top scorer with 14 goals. His sharp finishing helped the Kasasiro Boys secure second place with 62 points, narrowly missing out on the title by five points.
For UPPC Entebbe, Ambrose Kigozi emerged as a key figure in their commendable top-flight return. The newly promoted side finished sixth with 51 points, and Kigozi’s 12 goals played a significant role in their impressive campaign.
Villa defender Raymond Barasa Mangoli completes the MVP shortlist. Although not a regular goal contributor, his commanding presence at the heart of defence alongside Geoffrey Lubangakene earned widespread praise, particularly for his maturity and composure at a young age.
Other categories to be decided include the Young Player of the Year award, where nominees are Enrique Lubwama (UPDF), Raymond Barasa Mangoli (Villa), Richard Okello (BUL), and Hakim Wandera (NEC).
The Coach of the Season award is also highly contested, with Vipers’ Ivan Minnaert, UPPC’s Abdallah Mubiru, NEC’s Badru Kaddu, and Villa’s Zeljko Kovacevic all in contention.
Minnaert guided Vipers to an unbeaten league title in his debut season in Uganda. Mubiru led UPPC to a respectable sixth-place finish following their promotion from the FUFA Big League, earning praise for their attractive style of play.
Kovacevic, in his first season with Villa, transformed the Jogoos into one of the league’s most exciting sides, guiding them to third place, just six points off the summit. Some supporters, however, believe Villa could have gone even closer to the title.
Kaddu also earned recognition after steering NEC away from early relegation struggles to a fifth-place finish with 53 points, with the team emerging as one of the most entertaining sides in the second round.
The Goal of the Season category features some spectacular strikes, including Hassan Mubiru’s winner for Villa against KCCA, Alex Yiga’s decisive goal for KCCA against BUL FC, Rogers Torach’s effort against Lugazi Henry Kane’s strike for Vipers against UPDF, Watambala’s goal against Police, and Charles Lwanga’s finish against Police.
Voting for the awards has been conducted online over recent weeks, with winners to be determined by the SUPL technical panel based on the highest number of votes received.
Other honours to be announced at the ceremony include Team of the Season, Best Goalkeeper, Best Defender, Best Midfielder, and Best Forward of the campaign.