After years of struggle, the league’s traditional giants all seem ready for business this year, as William Kasoba writes
Defending champions KCCA FC have started their the journey towards attempting to retain the Azam Uganda Premier League title they won last year in gear, losing only one game—a 2-1 reverse when they played against Onduparaka at the Betway Green Light stadium in Arua. The Lugogo-based side have won all the other six of the seven league fixtures they have played this season. 
KCCA outclassed rivals Express FC 3-1 in their last fixture which was played on Tuesday at the Phillip Omondi Stadium to reaffirm their intent to continue their dominance, but that is not going to be pulled off easily, thanks to a reawakening of all of the country’s traditional giants. For years, the league title race was incomplete in the days of the Super League if KCC FC, Express and SC Villa were not involved in it. There was an unwritten rule that the title would be shared among those three, and so it was for much of the 1980s and 1990s.
A slump in the fortunes of local league football, however, hastened a slump in the fortunes of the country’s big names, with SC Villa and Express worst hit. So bad has the story been that SC Villa are still looking for their first league title in 12 years, while Express flirted with relegation only two years ago. A slow but steady revival of the local game seems to have had a positive spillover effect, though.
The traditional giants are winning more consistently again, and the fans are taking note. Games like Tuesday’s KCCA-Express encounter are attracting the crowds again, and they are more heated because each club now senses there is something to play for. After a series of seasons in the shadows of Vipers SC and URA, SC Villa and Express appear finally ready to challenge for honours again. It is the first time in a long time that both clubs find themselves in the top five. It might be early days, but the days of SC Villa struggling to get into the top half, like they did only last season, could be a thing of the past.
Not that there will not be stiff challenges. KCCA has a tough fixture this Friday when they visit second-placed Vipers in Buikwe, the team most expect to provide them with their stiffest competition for the title. Vipers have finished second and first respectively in the last two seasons and appear too well-resourced to fail to challenge. There will also be stern tests for the traditional giants from steady performers like Soana FC and Onduparaka, who might act as spoilers. Whatever the case, though, the league’s big boys appear back on track.
