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.
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.
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 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.
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.
BUL Football Club is proud to announce the signing of Uganda Cranes goalkeeper Joel Mutakubwa from Gaddafi FC.
Head coach Abbey Kikomeko (left) with Joel Mutakubwa alias Varma (Right)
The 29-year-old goalkeeper, who lifted the CECAFA Kagame Cup with Express FC in 2021, has signed a two year contract with the club.
For his eye catching performances at the local scene, Mutakubwa was summoned for the Uganda Cranes duty at the Africa Nations Championship (CHAN) early this year in Algeria.
He has previously played for Busoga United (Kirinya Jinja SS), Kyetume, Tooro United and Express in the Uganda Premier League.
BUL FC is delighted to announce that Hillary Onek has signed a 3 years contract extension with the Eastern Giants which will keep him at the club until 2027.
The 21-year-old all round defender, who is a graduate of the BUL Junior Team, has enjoyed a meteoric rise at the football scene and has established himself as a key figure at the senior team since breaking into the side in 2021, helping BUL win the Uganda cup in the 2021/22 season.
He also won the Juniors league with our junior team in 2019.
Pleased to have signed a new deal, Onek expressed his happiness at extending his stay at the Eastern Giants.
” l am excited to extend my stay here,” Onek said after signing the new deal.
“I came here as a kid and BUL has made me the player I am today.”
“We have shared some fantastic moments over the past years, and I have grown so much in every sense of the word and my passion for this team has been on an upward trajectory since the day I joined.”
“I can assure you that I will commit myself to helping this club to achieve our goals and make the fans proud of this great team.”
“BUL is my home, and a home sweet home that I feel proud of being part.“
“It’s now time for the hard work to continue and I am looking forward to returning to training and the new season ahead.”
Three players have been given the green light to leave the Eastern Giants after their employment contracts with the club expired.
They include; Richard Wandyaka, Ivan Wani and goalkeeper Emmanuel Kalyowa.
Wandyaka has been one of the longest serving players at the club, playing six seasons for the Eastern Giants since joining in 2017 from URA. Last season, he scored four goals and made a couple of assists.
Goalkeeper Kalyowa first played for the club between 2015 and 2017 before he returned in 2021.
Wani also joined us two years ago, scoring one goal in the just concluded campaign.
The three played a key role in our fantastic run in the 2021/22 season, leading the club to the famous Uganda cup title and a fourth place league finish.
We thank them for their efforts and commitment to club and wish them the best in their future endeavors.
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.
BUL FC battled to a point at Vipers SC in our ultimate home game of the season, with goalkeeper Tom Ikara earning the man of the match accolade following his classic showings between the sticks.
Outstanding: Goalkeeper Tom Ikara was named man of the match
After a goalless first half, BUL took the lead on sixty five minutes through Samuel Ssekamatte but Karim Watambala’s injury time penalty ensured both teams took a point from the game at FUFA technical centre.
Following a lively start, the game settled down somewhat and despite plenty of competitiveness from both sides, chances were limited at either end in the early exchanges of the first half.
The visitors had a glorious chance to open the scores with 15 minutes on the clock. Yunus Sentamu got in behind the BUL backline as a result of Douglas Muganga missing the ball, and after facing the goal, his low shot played out into the gloves of Tom Ikara.
They went close again when Ashraf Mandela whipped in a teasing cross a few moments later, but his effort too was claimed by the goalkeeper.
At the other end, BUL was in ascendancy mid way the half, as Ssekamatte’s bursting run in the middle led to Reagan Kalyowa shooting into a defender for a corner.
Our good spell continued with our second chance in two minutes, but like the first, there was no yellow shirt to connect with Ssekamatte’s ground effort across the face of the goal.
Ikara was then forced to clear his line using his feet following a goal melee from inside the box as the away side tried to re-establish the foothold on the game.
Ssekamatte gave Mukundane a run for his money throughout the game
Vipers’ goalkeeper Fabien Mutombora however needed to be at full stretch to brilliantly push away Ssekamatte’s free kick that left him requiring medical attention, before Sentamu aimed his corner direct at Ikara on the stroke of halftime.
The Eastern Giants had a dream start to the second half though when, just two minutes in, Ssekamatte underused an open chance with his shot sailing over the bar.
And with five minutes after the hour, the forward made amends, gliding home the opener off a Reagan Kalyowa cross, giving Mutumbora no chance as the ball nestled into the bottom left corner.
Reagan Kalyowa swung in the cross that Ssekamatte headed in for the opener
BUL had to ride some spells of pressure from the away side onwards, but Simeon Masaba’s men produced a resolute defensive display until a goal deep into added time from the penalty spot from Abdul Karim Watambala earned the visitors a point.
It’s now 35 points for the Eastern Giants who currently sit in the eighth place on the table. Our season will end with a trip to Maroons on Saturday.
Starting XI:
Tom Ikara (GK), Douglas Muganga, Richard Ayiko, Ronald Otti, George Kasonko, Pascal Ngobi, Jerome Kirya (Richard Wandyaka 76′), Reagan Kalyowa, Emmanuel Obua, Martin Aprem
(Innocent Rwothomio 90+4′), Samuel Sekamatte (Ibrah Nsimbe 82′)
Unused substitutes:
Emmanuel Kalyowa(GK), Aggrey Madoi, Ibrahim Mugulusi, Ivan Wani.
