The second edition of the Uganda Rugby Union Awards was one filled with style, Glamor, smiles and happiness as members from all Rugby clubs were united under one roof for a common cause.

The event also attracted Top Government officials like National Council of Sports (NCS) Chairman Ambrose Tashobya and Secretary General Dr Bernad Ogwel. Other Sports leaders in Uganda were also present, the Federation of Basketball Associations Uganda (FUBA) Mr. Nasser Serunjoji and other members from the Uganda Olympic Committee.

The Big winners of the night were Peace Lekuru, the Women Rugby Sevens Captain and Pius Ogena, a KOBS and Rugby Sevens player.

Peace Lekuru led her Avengers side to a second place finish in the URU Central Women’s League XV and despite not participating in the National Sevens for her side, she played a couple of games with the National team during the Stone City and Rujumba 7s. She also led the Womens Rugby 7s to a third place finish in the Africa Women’s Sevens which ultimately made them qualify for the 2024 HSBC Sevens Challenger series that will start in January. Perhaps her biggest success was the recent victory of the Rugby Lady Cranes 7s at the Safari Sevens where she was also named the MVP.

Pius Ogena was a force to reckon during the 2023 Nile Special Premier League and he was the Top try scorer (22), equalling the record of Allan Musoke and Justin Kimono, who both played for KOBS.

Pius was also recalled to the National Rugby Sevens team and he made significant contributions during their third place finishes in the Africa Men’s Sevens and the Safari Sevens.

Full List of winners

Upcoming Player men – Shakim Ssembusi (Walukuba)

Upcoming player women – Grace Nabaggala (Lady Pacers)

Referee of year – Umar Balikanda 

Top Try scorer – Pius Ogena (KOBS)

Top Try scorer women – Emily Lekuru (Black Pearls)

MVP men – Pius Ogena (KOBS)

MVP Women – Peace Lekuru (Avengers)

Coach of the year domestic – Marvin Odong (Black Pirates)

Coach of the year International – Fred Mudoola (Rugby Cranes XVs)

Team Manager of the year – Micheal Wandera (Rugby Sevens Men)

Journalist of the year print – Faith Kiai (New Vision)

Journalist of the year (radio, TV) – John Torach (Radio One)

Journalist of the year digital – Grace Mbabazi (NBS Sport)

Photographer of the year – Hasaan Wamwayi 

Nile Special Award – Winnie Atyang for development Womens Rugby 

Presidential Award for Development – Traton Nyakato (For Development of Rugby in the West) 

Presidential Award for long service to the sport -Yayiro Kasasa

Fair Play – Jinja Hippos 

Golden Boot – Ivan Magomu (Black Pirates)

Golden Boot – Charlotte Mudoola (Black Pearls)

Coach Fred Mudoola edged out National team Sevens Coaches, Tolbert Onyango and Charles Onen to the Coach of the year. He led Uganda, to the Victoria Cup victory and also won four of the fives games that 15’s players participated in.

Special Awards were given out to Winnie Atyang, Traton Nyakato and Yayiro Kasasa for their different contributions in the game.

Winnie Atyang has been one of the longest serving personnel in Rugby. She Captained the sevsns team in 2007 and was also part of the Squad that made the First Rugby Sevens World Cup appearance in 2009 in Dubai.

She continued serving on both 15’s and 7’s, and in 2019, she Captained the 15’s side as they took part in the Africa Cup.

Atyang has also started the Winnie Atyang Foundation which empowers women in sport, mainly Rugby and her passion love and contribution to the sport, mostly women has been immense.

Traton Nyakato has been one of the most hard working and resilient personnel in the game. She was worked as a team manager, partly coach, Doctor, Physio, CEO, basically everything for the Tooro Lions. She has also successfully managed to host the National 7s (Tooro 7s) for the 2 consecutive years 2022 and 2023 and given the amount of pressure and stress that comes with such activities, her ability to pull them off successfully has made her standout.

Yayiro Kasasa is what one would term a ‘Legend’ of the sport given his contribution throughout the years. Kasasa has worked on all levels, from being a player, to Captaining the National team in 1998, to being a National team Coach and staff at the Uganda Rugby Union from the early 2000’s.

In 2021, The Get Into Rugby Manager of the Uganda Rugby Union, Kasasa Yayiro was awarded by the Uganda Olympic Committee in recognition for his invaluable contribution to the Olympic Movement in Uganda.

He also managed to coordinate with various institutions, High schools and universities. Matter of fact, he was at the helm of Makerere University Rugby till the late 2010’s.

The Uganda Rugby Union also recognized all the personnel that have Captained Uganda, 7’s and 15’s both Men and Women.

At the end of the ceremony, the Master of ceremonies suggested to Nile Special that a vehicle for the MVP’s at the next Award would be something to think about and hopefully, this shall be taken up to make Rugby even more competitive.