PLAYERS SIGNED
Nicholas Ssebwato (Bright Stars)
Rajab Kakooza (Lweza)
Karim Ndugwa (Sadolin)
After a bright start in which they finished the 2017 Azam Uganda Premier League first round in third position, Onduparaka’s season faded in the second round as the Betway backed club finished fifth. They collected 20 points in the period as compared to 25 points in what was their debut season in the topflight league.
Coaches Livingstone Mbabazi and Leo Adraa put the decline in performance to a lack of experience with many of the players also featuring for the first time in the league. In order to bridge that gap, the Arua-based side has decided to move fast despite the domestic transfer window only beginning in July.
In the past month, they have signed the trio of Rajab Kakooza with the midfielder joining from relegated Lweza. They then added striker Karim Ndugwa from Sadolin and goalkeeper Nicholas Ssebwato from Bright Stars.
The trio possess plenty of experience in the top division with Ndugwa having already made his name in two spells at 16-time record league champions SC Villa as well as featuring for Express. Ssebwato too also established himself at Villa as well as featuring for current league champions KCCA before relocating to Bright Stars. Despite those additions, Mbabazi revealed the club is not yet done with their off-season transfers.
‘‘We are not done yet, we still have areas where we need some characters, it’s not all about getting the players, it’s about getting the right quality,” Mbabazi stated after the signing of Ssebwato. Ndugwa’s signing will meanwhile provide the coaching pair with more options upfront with Muhammad Shaban who finished with a second league best 13 goals shouldering the goal scoring burden with Caesar Okhuti.
Former National Under-23 Fahad Toko is also on the club’s books having joined in the second round. Onduparka is expected to resume training on July 03 ahead of the league season which is also expected to kick off in August.