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The shortlist, as expected, is dominated by league champions SC Villa. The awards ceremony will be held on Saturday, June 29 at the Sheraton Hotel in Kampala.
Jonah Kakande and Ronald Sekiganda are contenders for the most valuable player award of the just StarTimes Uganda Premier League season
The shortlist, as expected, is dominated by league champions SC Villa. The awards ceremony will be held on Saturday, June 29 at the Sheraton Hotel in Kampala.
The 20-man list released on Friday was generated by a panel of experts comprising select coaches, media, captains and ex-internationals after reviewing public nominations on the league’s social handles.
Summary
The organisers lined up 14 categories for awards but only six involve the public votes.
They include awards for the most valuable player, goalkeeper, defender, midfielder, coach and young player of the season.
The fans will also vote for the goal of the season. Their nominations will be used to derive the best XI of the season as well.
The best
Kakande and Sekiganda will battle the league’s top marksmen Shaban Muhammad and Denis Omedi as well as Bul’s defender Ronald Otti. Besides Kitara’s poster boy Omedi, the other four have received double nominations.
Shaban Muhammad will receive his golden boot on the same day after scoring 17 goals for KCCA. Another player guaranteed an award is budding midfielder Abraham Tusubira who made ten assists for Maroons.
Sekiganda will also compete with Joel Sserunjogi (KCCA) and Tusubira for the midfielder of the season. Otti will contest for the best defender award alongside Nec’s Joseph Dhata and outgoing Villa captain Kenneth Semakula.
Serbian tactician Dusan Stonjanovic, who guided the Jogoos to the Promised Land after a two-decade spell in the wilderness, has been nominated for the coach of the season prize.
His competitors are KCCA’s saviour Abdallah Mubiru and Brian Ssenyondo, who turned Kitara into a title contender in their debut season.
Season revelation Kakande is primed for the young player of the season in a race that also has KCCA’s Arafat Usama and Wakiso’s Kenneth Kimera. The young player is restricted to players below the age of 21.
The other category has Bul’s Thomas Ikara, Kitara’s Chrispus Kusiima and Hannington Sebwalunyo from Maroons fighting for the golden gloves. The trio secured the most clean sheets during the season.
The second part of the awards process will see fans vote for the nominees on the Uganda Premier League website.
The online votes that were opened on Friday will be tallied and shared with the same panel of experts on Friday, June 28, a day before the grand ceremony.
The league secretariat announced that the online votes will account for 40 percent and the rest will be decided by the panel.
Other categories lined up include Players’ and coaches’ players of the season to be voted by the respective captains and coaches and the Fair Play Team of the Season based on disciplinary records. The UPL board will choose the recipient of the Platinum Award.
UPL awards Nominees
Player of the Season: Patrick Jonah Kakande (Villa), Ronald Ssekiganda (Villa), Denis Omedi (Kitara), Shaban Muhammed Jagason (KCCA) Ronald Otti – BUL
Coach of the season: Dusan Stonjanovic (Villa), Brian Ssenyondo (Kitara) & Abdallah Mubiru (KCCA)
Midfielder of the Season: Ronald Ssekiganda (Villa), Joel Sserunjogi (KCCA) & Abraham Kakensa Tusubira (Maroons)
Defender of the Season: Ronald Otti (Bul), Kenneth Semakula (Villa) & Joseph Lujang Dhata (NEC)
Goalkeeper of the Season: Tom Ikara (Bul), Chrispas Kusiima (Kitara) & Hannington Sebwalunyo (Maroons)
Young Player of the Season: Arafat Usama Kiza (KCCA), Patrick Jonah Kakande (Villa) & Kenneth Kimera (Wakiso Giants)
Other categories
Top Goal Scorer of the Season: Shaban Muhammad (17 goals)
Most Assists of the Season: Abraham Kakensa Tusubira (10 assists)
Fair Play Team of the Season
Players’ Player of the Season: voted by club captains
Coaches’ Player of the Season: voted by head coaches
Goal of the Season: Public vote
Best XI of the Season: Public vote
Platinum Award: Decided by Uganda Premier League Board