Nambuya, Khalifa eye more after FTBFWSL awards
October's best. Kawempe Muslim's coach Ayub Khalifa (3rd L) and goalkeeper Josephine Nambuya (3rd R) show of their accolades as they are joined by Fufa's head of competitions Aisha Nalule, 3rd deputy president Florence Nakiwala Kiyingi (2ndL) and FTB's Paul Percy Lubega at the latter’s office on Tuesday. PHOTO/COURTESY
What you need to know:
On October 22, 2022, after making the move from Jinja SS to Kawempe Muslim, Nambuya was thrown in the deep end during their Fufa Women Super League (FWSL) trip to Lady Doves in Masindi.
Josephine Nambuya's topflight football career spans just three seasons. And in those, she has already had quite the rollercoaster.
On October 22, 2022, after making the move from Jinja SS to Kawempe Muslim, Nambuya was thrown in the deep end during their Fufa Women Super League (FWSL) trip to Lady Doves in Masindi.
Nambuya was at fault for both goals as Kawempe lost 2-0.
"I was new then and trying to get terms with things," Nambuya said. Coach Ayub Khalifa's reaction then was to reinstate Juliet Adeke for the remainder of the 2022/23 season and for the entire 2023/24 season, which culminated into a winning the title.
Adeke had a wonderful 2023, which allowed her win the best goalkeeper's award for the title winning season, but her form somehow started to see-saw in 2024.
After a 3-0 loss to Simba Queens in the Cecafa region’s Caf Women’s Champions League qualifiers in Addis Ababa in August, Khalifa decided to return Nambuya between the sticks for the decisive encounter with FAD Djibouti. Nambuya, who had continue to convince Khalifa about her talent in some school tournaments, repaid the faith with a cleansheet in a 10-0 win.
Faith
Nambuya was also entrusted with the semi but she underestimated a late shot that ended up in the net as they lost 2-1 to Commericial Bank of Ethiopia.
Khalifa still let her continue in goal and she got another cleansheet in a 2-0 bronze medal match win and revenge over Simba Queens.
When the 2024/25 season started on September 29, it was clear who would be in goal. Nambuya has since kept four cleansheets in Kawempe's unbeaten five game start to the season.
"I am stronger now, mentally, and I will keep working hard to win more accolades. We conceded our first goal of the season in the previous match but conceding is something that is bound to happen in football and we will do our best to communicate better in upcoming games," Nambuya said after she was named Finance Trust Bank Fufa Women Super League (FTBFWSL) at a function graced by Fufa third deputy president Florence Nakiwala Kiyingi, head of competitions Hajjat Aisha Nalula, and FTB's head of marketing and corporate affairs Paul Percy Lubega at their head office on Lumumba Avenue.
Accolades
Nambuya beat teammate Agnes Nabukenya, who scored four goals in four matches, and Uganda Martyrs Lubaga's Angel Auki Kigongo, who won two player of the match awards, to the month's accolade.
She was in the company of Khalifa, who was also named coach of the month at the expense of Amus College's Faridah Bulega and Lady Doves' Meddie Nyanzi.
"I want to thank whoever brought FTB on board because we have played the league (since 2015) without a sponsor. They have come in a big way and I am sure the awards will be huge motivation to coaches and players to work even harder," Khalifa said.
The awards come with a plaque and Shs500,000 each, according to FTB, but like the Shs50,000 player of the match award they will be deposited on the winners' accounts when they open accounts with the bank.
"For accountability reasons, we do not want issues. We want to be sure the money has been received by the coach or player and the only way to do that is to deposit it on the account. It is only fair," Lubega said.
Sponsorship breakdown
When launching the five year Shs2bn sponsorship for women's football in August, both Fufa and FTB were in agreement that the only way to give back to the bank was for women's football stakeholders to drive their financial activity through the bank.
Since then the breakdown of the sponsorship package to clubs has been an issue of interest. "We asked clubs to open accounts in this bank and thankfully all of them (in the Super and Elite) have done so.
"We are now going to send them the money for this season. Shs10m (for each of the 12 Super League clubs) and Shs5m (14 Elite League clubs) respectively," Kiyingi said.
FTBFWSL FIXTURES
SATURDAY
She Maroons vs. She Corporate, Luzira Prisons - 12noon
Kampala Queens vs. Amus College, MTN Omondi Luzira - 10am
Olila H/S vs. Tooro Queens, Soroti - 10am
Makerere University vs. Wakiso Hill, Makerere - 10am
SUNDAY, 10AM
Uganda Martyrs vs. Rines SS, Bugolobi
Kawempe Muslim vs. Lady Doves, Kawempe
At a glance
Name: Josephine Nambuya
Club: Kawempe Muslim
School: Kawempe Muslim
Class: Senior Five
Coach: Ayub Khalifa
Accolades: FTBFWSL player of the month (October 2024)
Major tournaments: FWSL 2022/23, 2023/24 and 2024/25, Caf Women's Champions League qualifiers 2024
Numbers
-Shs2b sponsorship from FTB to women’s football for five years
-Shs250m for the leagues per year
-Shs10m per FWSL club per year (Shs120m for 12 clubs)
-Shs5m per FWEL club per year (Shs70m for 14 clubs)
