Uganda Legends under Former Footballers Initiative Depart for East African Festival in Nairobi
David GOMBE
Former Ugandan footballers under the Former Footballers Initiative (FFI) have been flagged off to Kenya for the second edition of the East African Legends Festival 2026.
The week festival, which will celebrate the International Day of Older Persons (IDOP), will run from 26th-28th October at the Nairobi City Stadium along Jogoo Road.
The contingent was flagged off by the Former Footballers Initiative chairman, Isaac Mubarak Ngobya, at Hotel Africana on Saturday, 24th October 2026.
“I take this opportunity to wish you a safe journey to Kenya ahead of the East African Legends Festival. I am very confident you will return home successful,” said Ngobya.
The team includes Edward Baguma Atenyi, who played for the Uganda Cranes at the 1974 and 1976 Africa Cup of Nations finals and was on the reserve squad at the 1978 edition in Ghana.
Baguma believes tournaments of this magnitude help foster unity among former footballers across the region.
“We are delighted that we are heading to Nairobi to represent Uganda at the East African Legends Festival for the second time. As retired footballers under our umbrella, the Former Footballers Initiative, we believe this tournament will be great for us to network with colleagues from other countries. Playing games of this magnitude helps us unite and I am hopeful we shall return home victorious,” Baguma said.
The festival is held under the theme “The Age of Longevity: Rethinking Systems for Longer Lives,” and is organized by AgeWatch Africa under the banner Dignity in Every Season.
The event will bring together football legends from across East Africa for a celebration of active ageing, longevity, and community. Six nations will take part: Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda, Burundi, and South Sudan. Last year, Uganda finished as runners up to eventual winners Kenya.
Uganda’s travelling team comprises notable names including Jimmy Ssekandi, who formerly featured for KCC FC, Uganda Commercial Bank FC, Nile FC and Nsambya.
Also on the team is Saul Kizito, a former Express FC and Nile FC player who serves as the publicity secretary of the Former Footballers Initiative; Isa Ssekatawa, formerly of KCC, Nytil and Express FC, who remains the only player to win the top-tier golden boot in Uganda for three consecutive years; and Ali Ssendegeya, who played for several clubs including KCC (1974), Kenya’s Bullets (1975), Coffee (1976), Express FC (1977-1983), Uganda Motors (1986), and Busia Park (1990). Ssendegeya represented Uganda at the 1974 AFCON in Egypt and 1976 in Ethiopia.