Kawempe Muslim SS Women FC striker Juliet Nalukenge is leading the race for this year’s Airtel-FUFA female player of the award. The shortlist for the Airtel FUFA male and female player of the year was recently reduced to just five nominees in the two categories following two voting phases that involved coaches and captains in the StarTimes Uganda Premier League as well as the 16 coaches for teams in the FUFA Women Super League and the FUFA Women Elite League.
The initial process helped in formulating the list that had 16 and 12 nominees for the male and female category respectively before the second phase of voting that saw the coaches and captains select the top five nominees in the two categories.
The female top five nominees include; Shadia Nankya, Hasifa Nassuna, Juliet Nalukenge, Fauzia Najjemba and Daizy Nakaziro who are also part of the Crested Cranes that is competing in the 2019 CECAFA Women’s Challenge Cup in Tanzania where Uganda plays Kenya this Thursday.
Nalukenge captained Uganda U17 Girls’ national team to winning the COSAFA Championship and she emerged top scorer with 18 goals. She helped Kawempe Muslim win both the national and East Africa Secondary Schools championship.
Najjemba, a student at Mukono High School who moved from Isra Soccer Academy to Kampala Queens recently, was part of the Uganda U17 Girls’ national team that won the COSAFA Championship scoring 12 goals.
She was joint to scorer in the FUFA Women Elite League (regular season) scoring 14 goals. Najjemba helped Mukono High School to win the Independence Cup, she finished as top scorer both in the National Schools Championship and the East Africa Secondary Schools Championship scoring 14 and 10 goals respectively.
Nassuna who won the Airtel-FUFA Female player of the year accolade in 2016 guided UCU Lady Cardinals to winning the FUFA Women Elite League last season ending the season as the top scorer with 16 goals and was also named the most valuable player (MVP).
Defender Nankya scored 11 goals in the league and was the top scorer in the FUFA Women’s Cup with seven goals while Lady Doves goalkeeper Daizy Nakaziro was named the best goalkeeper both in the FUFA Women Elite League and the FUFA Women’s Cup.
The coaches’ and captains’ votes contribute 50% and 25% respectively in determining the winner while the fans have a contribution of 25%. The process through which the fans can vote for their favorite player both in the male and female category will be communicated later.
The 2019 Airtel FUFA Awards dinner will be held on 14th December at Speke Resort Munyonyo where the winners in two categories will drive away in new cars.
Top five nominees
Airtel FUFA Male Player of the year
Allan Okello – KCCA FC, Allan Kayiwa – Vipers SC, Shafic Kagimu – URA FC, Msitafa Kizza – KCCA FC, Bright Anukani – Proline FC
Airtel FUFA Female player of the year
Fauzia Najjemba – Kampala Queens, Shadia Nankya – Uganda Martyrs/ UCU Lady Cardinals, Juliet Nalukenge – Kawempe Muslim Ladies, Hasifa Nassuna – UCU Lady Cardinals, Daizy Nakaziro – Lady Doves
Other categories
Airtel FUFA Male Coach of the Year
Abdallah Mubiru (Police FC), Mutebi Mike Hillary (KCCA FC), Bisaso Shafiq (Proline FC)
Airtel FUFA Women’s football Coach of the Year
Oliver Mbekeka (Lady Doves), Ayub Khalifan Kiyingi (Kawempe Muslim Ladies), Ndaula Fred (Makerere University)
Fair Play Award (based on a number of caution during the period considered during the section)
Police FC, Maroons FC, URA FC
Upcoming Talent Award (FUFA Juniors League)
Mugweri Gavin Kizito (SC Villa), Anaku Sadat (KCCA SA), Ssekajja Davis (Bright Stars FC JT)
Airtel FUFA Beach Soccer Player of the Year
Luboyera Herbert (Mutola), Ochero Sulaiman (St Lawrence), Mutebi Ronald (St Lawrence)
Airtel FUFA Member Associations’ Award
Uganda Beach Soccer Association (UBSA), Buganda region Football Association, KCCA Football Club
Team Fans of the Year (FUFA Competitions)
KCCA FC, Onduparaka FC, SC Villa, Tooro United FC, Acholi Province
West Nile Province, Lango Province, Bunyoro Province
Full List of the 2019 Airtel FUFA Awards Categories:
1 – Airtel – FUFA Male Player of the Year 2019
2 – Airtel – FUFA Female Player of the Year 2019
3 – Airtel – FUFA Best XI 2019 (Men)
4 – Airtel – FUFA Best XI 2019 (Women) – New
5 – Airtel – FUFA Coach of the Year 2019
6 – Airtel – FUFA Women Football Coach of the Year – New
7 – FUFA Presidential Award
8 – Airtel – FUFA Fair Play Award 2019 (UPL)
9 – Airtel – FUFA Upcoming Talent Award 2019 (FJL)
10 – Airtel – FUFA Beach Soccer Player of the Year
11 – Airtel – FUFA Fans’ Favorite Uganda foreign based Player
12 – Best Squad (Club/National Team) of a particular Year – New
13 – FUFA Member Associations’ Award – New
14 – Team Fans of the Year (FUFA Competitions) – New
