Uganda Premier League: Vipers capture seventh title with game to spare

Photo Credit – Vipers SC.

The champagne finally flowed in Hoima on Wednesday as Vipers SC beat Kitara 2-0 to lock up the 2024/25 StarTimes Uganda Premier League title with one matchday still on the calendar.

First-half poacher Gatuso Mulongo and second-half talisman Yunus Sentamu provided the finishing touches that lifted the Venoms to an unassailable 68 points, four clear of their only remaining challengers NEC.

It is Vipers’ seventh league title, drawing them level with Express and leaving only SC Villa (17) and KCCA (13) ahead in the all-time honors list. The result rendered NEC’s gritty 1-0 victory over SC Villa in Wankulukuku purely academic.

Dickson Niwamanya’s towering header kept Hussein Mbalangu’s side perfect on the day, but on 64 points, they can no longer reel in the champions, even with a superior goal swing. BUL FC locked up third place in Njeru, edging Maroons 1-0 thanks to Karim Ndugwa’s 25-minute strike.

The Jinja outfit rose to 56 points, nine ahead of a resurgent but inconsistent KCCA. Speaking of KCCA, interim boss Jackson Magera watched his side dismantle Lugazi 5-0 at Lugogo, a rare show of the old swagger after a campaign overshadowed by the dismissal of Abdallah Mubiru.

Emmanuel Anyama (27′, 52′) and Joao Gabriel (12′, 38′) shared four goals before Stephen Munguchi added a late gloss to the scoreline on 75 minutes. Despite the rout, it was only the Kasasiro Boys’ 13th league win of the season.

Matchday 29 in brief
Kitara 0-2 Vipers (Mulongo 18′, Sentamu 64′)
SC Villa 0-1 NEC (Niwamanya 70′)

BUL 1-0 Maroons (Ndugwa 25′)
KCCA 5-0 Lugazi (Joao Gabriel 12′ 38′, Anyama 27′ 52′, Munguchi 75′)

The league pauses briefly before Sunday’s finale, but with the trophy already draped in red and black, all that remains is the formal coronation of Vipers, worthy champions yet again.