Category: Top stories

EDRINE OPAALA JOINS BUL

BUL Football Club can confirm the signing of Edrine Mukisa Opaala from Busoga United. The attacking midfielder has signed a two year contract with us.

A product of Jinja SS, the 19 year old arrives at the Eastern Giants with a wealth of topflight football in his legs after playing in the Uganda premier league for the past three seasons.

“Opaala is still young and has been playing well, assisting and doing so many things. We thought it was high time he joins a good team like BUL so that he can excel with his talent,” head coach Abbey Kikomeko Bogere said.

“I know his ability, I know the kind of football he plays and the kind of passes he crafts. He will actually add creativity to our midfield.”

“He is a product of Copa Coca Cola schools tournament and majority of these players have excelled, and they have gone as far as playing professional football.”

“So we thought bringing him on board at BUL will be a better achievement for him.”

After signing for the Eastern Giants, Opaala said;

“I am excited to join the BUL family. I thank the management for the opportunity given to me, I am ready to compete.”

Opaala was named the 2019 Copa Coca Cola Most Valuable Player and won the same award in the Busoga Masaza Cup when he was playing for Buzaya County in the 2019 edition.

BUL AQUIRE MATHEW ODONG

BUL Football Club can announce the signing of Mathew Odong Tayo from Tanzania side Biashara United Mara FC.

The attacking midfielder cum striker has signed a two year contract with the Eastern Giants.

On signing the forward, head coach Abbey Kikomeko Bogere said:

“Odong is an experienced player who can play either as an attacking midfielder or a striker. He has played locally and outside country, and he has a good work rate.”

“He is still young and I know he can still progress and get us the good results. With the depth and quality of players we have in our midfield, I expect a lot of creativity, fluidity and good goals.”

Odong came to light with Kampala University in the university football league before he joined the defunct SC Victoria University in 2014. He scored the lone goal as the university side fell out of the CAF Confederation Cup 3-1 on aggregate against DR Congo’s Don Bosco at Namboole that very year.

In Uganda, he also played for URA FC before he featured for Tusker in two stints, Kariobangi Sharks, Wazito FC and Zoo Kericho in Kenya.

KITATA ARRIVES

Alex Kitata has completed the transfer from Gaddafi FC to BUL.

The experienced striker joins the Eastern Giants on a two-year contract to bolster the forward line. He scored eight goals in 26 league appearances for the Soldier Boys last campaign, helping them avoid relegation to finish 11th.

On becoming a BUL player, Kitata said:

“I am thrilled to join one of the best teams in the country. My primary role is to score goals and I believe if we work together as a team, we shall score lots of goals and win more games.”

Head coach Abbey Kikomeko Bogere said:

“As much as I have an experienced forward in Ssekamatte, I wanted to add on another experienced striker, and that is Kitata. I think with the help of the young lads around, and the experience of Ssekamatte and Kitata, we shall get good results.”

“I looked at his experience and the work rate, and he knows where to put the ball.”

“He scored eight goals last season, and where he is now, there are midfielders who can feed him well. And with the playing style we are going to adopt, I think he will give us good goals and I expect much from him.”

A pacey striker and proven goal scorer, Kitata brings huge pile of experience to BUL having played for The Saints, SC Villa, Kitara, UPDF (two spells) in the Uganda Premier League. He also featured for Rwandan side Kiyovu Sports Club on a short stint.

MWERE, WELCOME TO BUL FC

BUL Football Club is pleased to announce the signing of defender Nicholas Mwere.

The 22-year-old left back joins from Busoga United and has signed a three year contract with the Eastern Giants.

Nicholas Mwere (left} has re united with coach Abbey Kikomeko

One of the highly rated young defenders in Uganda, Mwere played for JIPRA in the secondary schools competitions and Kakira Town Council in the lower divisions of Jinja district at a tender age before he moved to Busoga United in 2021 where he played for the last two seasons in the Uganda premier league.

He is bully and a rock solid young player who often frightens strikers.

 BUL FC head coach, Abbey Kikomeko Bogere, said:

“When you look at the backline of our team, we had a loophole on the left side. So, I opted for Mwere.”

“I looked at his height, and his work rate. He is a young player and a promising defender.”

“I expect him to become a better defender now that he has joined BUL.”

Nicholas Mwere said:

“I am excited to join BUL FC, the Eastern Giants.”

“BUL is a winning team, they recently won the Uganda cup and I expect to win with them more titles.”

“I will try to defend better as well as attack at the same time to help the team achieve its targets. We are going to work together and win together.”

BUL RELEASE MORE FIVE PLAYERS

BUL FC has today parted ways with five more players, including two junior team graduates.

Owen Mukisa (in red) captained BUL FC in a Uganda cup semi final against Express

Paul Ssekulima joined the Eastern Giants in January 2023 but both parties have agreed to end the contract on mutual terms.

Aggrey Madoi is another player set to leave the club. Since 2020, Madoi has been one of the vital pillars at the team, helping BUL reach the first ever Uganda cup final in 2021 before playing a key part as the Eastern Giants won the competition a year later.

Our junior team graduates – Edrine Cavan Mawerere, Herbert Onyango and Owen Mukisa have also left the club. The latter shone to fame when he became the youngest player ever to captain the Eastern Giants and also scored a 26th minute goal against Express to send BUL to the Uganda Cup final in 2021 at FUFA Technical Centre.

We highly appreciate their efforts and commitment to the club; and wish them the best in their future endeavors.

BUL COMPLETE SIGNING OF TEZIKYA

BUL FC has completed the signing of Lawrence Tezikya from Vipers SC, with the striker penning a two year contract with the Eastern Giants.

Tezikya’s career in first-team football started at Busoga United, having risen through the youth ranks at Jinja SS.

Coach Abbey Kikomeko and Lawrence Tezikya have re united at BUL

The 22 year old striker made his senior club debut in the 2018/19 season when he came on as substitute during the Uganda premier league barren draw against Maroons FC at the Mighty Arena in Jinja city. He scored five goals in eight appearances that campaign.

He then earned a move to Vipers in 2020 before he secured a loan transfer to Maroons last season.

“Tezikya is one of the strikers I have looked at. He is still young, has passion for the game and he is promising,” head coach Abbey Kikomeko said.

“He is a kind of a player who wants to prove that he can be one of the best top strikers in the country.”

“I expect so much from him and I believe he will deliver.”

“He performed well in the previous schools tournaments and he has been gradually developing and improving. So I saw that when I bring him at BUL to compete with his former teammates like Joel Madondo, the club will benefit.”

“I expect to see good goals and fantastic performances from their partnership. They have been together, they have worked together before and they know each other very well.”

Nicknamed ‘Enzo,’ Tezikya helped Jinja SS win the Copa Coca-Cola schools championship in 2017, and emerged as the competition’s top scorer in 2018 and 2019. He is also a product of the FUFA juniors league.

JOEL MADONDO IS AN EASTERN GIANT

BUL FC has completed the signing of Joel Madondo from Gaddafi FC.

The forward has signed a one year renewable contract with the Eastern Giants.

Coach Abbey Kikomeko (left) with new signing Joel Madondo (right)

Madondo arrives at BUL with a lot of experience in the Uganda premier league after featuring for Busoga United and Gaddafi where he played over two stints. He scored one goal last season.

Following extraordinally performances and excellent goal poaching prowess at Busoga United, Madondo moved to Wydad Casablanca in January 2020 but mutually left the Morocco giants seven months later to return home, before he had another short trade across the borders with Tanzania second division club Diamond Trust Bank (DTB) in January 2022.

He guided Uganda Cranes to the CECAFA senior challenge cup title in 2019 when he scored an important goal in the 3-0 win over Eritrea at Lugogo.

He is also a Copa Coca Cola winner with Jinja SS in 2017.

Welcome to BUL FC, Madondo.

GERALD OGWETI JOINS FROM LUGAZI FC

Striker Gerald Ogweti has joined us from Lugazi FC on a three year contract.

The potent net buster has been a significant figure at the big league side; He scored 18 goals as they finished fifth in their maiden season in the second tier.

Gerald Ogweti is now an Eastern Giant

Ogweti was the 2021/22 Buganda regional league top scorer with sixteen goals when they gained promotion to the big league.

He began his football career at Friends soccer club around 2012, prior to joining TY Lugazi soccer club in 2014. In 2019, he played for Lugazi Municipal FC afore securing a move to Lugazi FC the following year.

Physical, agile, and always hungry for goals – his experience will be of remarkable value to the club.

Everyone at BUL FC welcomes Ogweti to the Eastern Giants.

BUL APPOINT ABBEY KIKOMEKO AS NEW HEAD COACH

BUL Football Club is delighted to announce the appointment of Abbey Kikomeko Bogere as the club’s new head coach for the next three years.

Kikomeko joins the Eastern Giants from Mbale Heroes whom he led to FUFA big league promotion by beating Bukedea Central last season.

Abbey Kikomeko (left) and Club chairman Ronald Barente (right) at the club headquarters in Jinja

“We have taken Mr. Abbey Kikomeko on to be our new head coach for the senior team for the next three years,” Chairman Ronald Barente said during the unveiling function at the club headquarters in Masese, Jinja City.

“He is a very experienced coach, who has been in the Uganda Premier league and other competitions, and I am sure with the experience he has, he will take us to greater heights where we want to be.”

“He is a youthful coach known for grooming great talents in Jinja and the whole of Eastern region. With the things we want to achieve at this club, we thought wisely and zeroed on him as the best candidate for the job.”

New coach: Abbey Kikomeko during the unveiling on Tuesday

A highly experienced top level tactcian who managed in the topflight league for more than five years, Kikomeko won Busoga United the FUFA big league title in the 2015/16 season before leading them to a fourth place finish in top division three years later.

“I am excited to be at BUL FC. It’s one of the biggest clubs in the country. I know I am now carrying a big load, so, I am not here for fun – I have come here to perform,” coach Kikomeko roared.

“I am interested in young boys and promoting players from within.”

“With the help of the technical team and the staff, I think we shall achieve.”

Coach Abbey Kikomeko

The coach assumes the role with immediate effect.

MATCH REPORT: MAROONS 0-0 BUL FC

It finished goalless between Maroons and BUL FC at the prisons grounds, with the point guiding the Eastern Giants to a seventh place finish in the league as the curtain fell on the 2022-23 season on Saturday. 

Coming into the game on the back of an impressive show against Vipers in the previous outing, BUL put up a spirited fight against the prison warders in Luzira. They dominated the proceedings throughout the game although they couldn’t find a winner.

Amends were made to the side on the eve of the second half, with the coach introducing Hillary Onek and Richard Okello before Richard Wandyaka, Innocent Rwothomio and Ivan Wani also came in.

After the alterations, BUL found the right gear – pitching camp in Maroons area for large spells of the game but the hosts remained watertight in the back.

From the 28 matches played this season, BUL won eight, drew 12 and lost eight in the process to tally 36 points.

Starting XI

Tom Ikara (GK), Douglas Muganga (Hillary Onek 46′), Ronald Otti, Richard Ayiko, George Kasonko (Richard Okello 46′),Pascal Ngobi, Jerome Kirya, Reagan Kalyowa (Innocent Rwothomio 78′), Emmanuel Obua (Ivan Wani 87′), Martin Aprem (Richard Wandyaka 62′), Samuel Ssekamatte.

Unused substitutes

Emmanuel Kalyowa (GK), Ibrahim Mugulusi