By Weswa Ronnie
MBALE CITY
Officials from the Uganda Muslim Education Association (UMEA) on Wednesday, 4th March, 2026 officially approved Nkoma Secondary School to host the 2026 UMEA Solidarity Games after completing a final inspection of the school’s facilities.
The inspection was conducted on February 4, 2026, by a delegation from the Uganda Muslim Teachers Association (UMTA) and the UMEA Solidarity Games organizing committee. The team was led by the chairperson, Hajji Kitezaala Abdu-Twahil and included theVice President, Hajjat Nsigo Mastulah Nankya, who also serves as the headteacher of Nakaloke Secondary School.
While speaking to journalists after the inspection, Kitezaala confirmed that Nkoma SS has met the necessary requirements to host the competition.
“Our inspection has confirmed that the sports pitches, dormitories, and security arrangements are suitable for hosting the 2026 UMEA Solidarity Games,” he said. Kitezaala explained that the annual competition, which started in 1998, aims to strengthen solidarity among Muslim-founded schools across the country while promoting Islamic values, discipline, and unity through sports.
He added that the hosting of the games rotates among different regions to ensure equal opportunities for schools across Uganda to benefit from the event.
According to the organizers, this year’s competition will feature a range of sporting disciplines, including football, netball, volleyball, handball, table tennis, badminton, and mind games such as chess and scrabble.
The headteacher of Nkoma Secondary School, Kawanguzi Abubakr, expressed confidence that the school is fully prepared to host the games and provide a competitive environment for participating schools.
“As a school, we are ready to host the competition and ensure it is successfully organized. We are also preparing our teams to improve our performance from the previous edition,” he said.
Kawanguzi also called upon the public and school administrators to support the event and encourage students to participate in sports for talent development.
“Sports provide opportunities for learners to discover and develop their talents. Not every learner will follow academic careers, but some can build successful futures through sports,” he noted.
He also revealed that Centenary Bank has already pledged support for the event, adding that the school hopes more sponsors will join to make the competition successful.
Meanwhile, UMTA Vice President Hajjat Nsigo Mastulah Nankya urged headteachers from Muslim-founded schools across the country to ensure that their students participate in the competition.
She said the games are important in promoting unity and strengthening relationships among Muslim students in Uganda.
In last year’s competition, Masaka Secondary School won the boys’ football title after defeating Kibuli Secondary School, while Kawempe Muslim Secondary School defeated Nkoma SS to win the girls’ football championship. Greenlight Islamic Secondary School won the netball title.
