Kampala, 22nd June 2024; Buluuli county has defeated defending champions Bulemeezi with a 1-0 win in an electric Airtel Masaza Cup opening game hosted today at Kasana Grounds in Luweero District. The 20th Edition of the Airtel-sponsored Masaza Cup was officiated by the Katikkiro of Buganda, Oweek. Charles Peter Mayiga.
The tournament will have the 18 counties of Buganda Kingdom pooled into three groups to participate in the games. These counties include; Kyaggwe, Gomba, Kooki, Kyaggwe, Mawogola, and Ssingo who are in the Muganzirwazza group, The Masengere group comprises of Busiro, Buvuma, Mawokota, Busujju, Ssese, and Kabula. The final group, Bulange has Buddu, Bulemeezi, Butambala, Bugerere, and Kyaddondo counties.
Commenting on the first game as the tournament premium sponsors Airtel Uganda’s sales & distribution director Ali Balunywa, said, “I am pleased to see the quality of the game showcased today and the magnitude of supporters who have come out to support their counties as we open the 2024 Airtel Masaza Cup tournament. The tournament is a vital part of our community engagement, bringing together fans and players in the spirit of sportsmanship and unity.”
He added, “Our partnership with the Buganda Kingdom has enabled us to reach the touchpoints of the communities we serve. Through this, we have been engaged in initiatives that empower our people, especially the youth, giving them a Reason to Imagine. We promise to constantly support such initiatives where talent is nurtured, as well as empowering the youth to use the platform to become the best talent in the football world or any other field they are passionate about.
The Masaza Cup is a football tournament introduced in 2004 by the Buganda Kingdom to groom talent among youth across the different counties, or Masaza, that make up the Buganda Kingdom and the surrounding regions. The tournament has unearthed footballing talents who have gone on to represent Uganda on national and international stages. Players like Fahad Bayo (Ssingo), Abdu Azziizi, and Halid Lwaliwa (Mawokota) are some of the shining lights in the recent Uganda Cranes team.
The Katikkiro of Buganda, Oweek. Charles Peter Mayiga, mentioned that Airtel Uganda has always extended support towards the Kingdom’s activities, including the Masaza Cup. This has helped us in the preparations over the years, enabling us to consistently host the tournaments and I want to appreciate them for their commitment to corporate social initiatives that improve the talents of the youth and the livelihoods of our people in general.”
“Our brand promise as Airtel Uganda is to give the youth a reason to imagine and we will always participate in activities like Masaza Cup that enables us to fulfill our commitment among other initiatives in other fields like education, entertainment, agriculture, health among others that positively impact our communities and the country as a whole,” Balunywa concluded.
The tournament, which will run from late June to September 2024, guarantees to keep supporters on their toes as they cheer on their respective teams to win the 20th edition. The second games will be played on 29th June 2024, where Buvuma will take on Mawoota, and Butambala will play Buddu.
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