Uganda's women's national handball team have been crowned African Zone Five champions after edging Kenya 29-28 in a thrilling final played on November 8, 2026, at the Filbert Bayi School grounds in Kibaha, Coast Region.
The closely contested victory secured Uganda the regional title and a place in the African Women's Handball Championship, where they will represent Zone Five against champions from other regions of the continent in Tunisia.
In the third-place playoff, Rwanda narrowly defeated hosts Tanzania 32-31 to claim the bronze medal, leaving Tanzania to finish fourth in the tournament.
At the closing ceremony, Uganda received gold medals and the championship trophy, while Kenya settled for silver medals and the runners-up trophy. Rwanda took home bronze medals.
The tournament brought together six national teams: Djibouti, Ethiopia, Uganda, Rwanda, Kenya and hosts Tanzania.
Speaking at the closing ceremony on November 8, National Sports Council (NSC) Senior Officer Charles Maguzu congratulated Uganda on winning the championship.
He also thanked the International Handball Federation for giving Tanzania the opportunity to host the competition and commended the Tanzania Handball Federation (THF) for its preparations and organisation.
Maguzu said the tournament should serve as a platform for strengthening African unity, promoting sporting development and creating economic opportunities through sports.
"These competitions should be a catalyst for African integration, bringing people together to use unity in developing sports and building the economy," he said.
He added that the NSC would continue working closely with THF and the African Handball Confederation to ensure future competitions are organised professionally.
Meanwhile, Uganda head coach Aziz Yakoub attributed his team's victory over Kenya to lessons learned from their earlier meeting during the group stage.
He explained that his technical team used video analysis to identify weaknesses and mistakes from their previous performance before making the necessary adjustments.
Yakoub said the players collectively reviewed their performance, assessed their opponents' strengths and worked on improving their approach, which ultimately contributed to their success in the final.
"I am very happy with this achievement. We thank all the opponents we played against because they were strong and competitive. Rwanda and Kenya, for example, are like my second homes, and I have great respect for them," he said.
He also praised his players and technical bench for their commitment and hard work throughout the competition.
Uganda goalkeeper Robinah Katusiime Oliver described the victory as a great achievement, noting that the final against Kenya was particularly challenging because both teams had prepared well.
She said the team was delighted not only to win the title but also to earn the opportunity to represent Zone Five at the continental championship in Tunisia.
"In handball, there must always be a winner and a loser. We are very happy to have won and secured the opportunity to represent our zone in Tunisia. It will not be easy, but we promise to give our best and demonstrate our full potential," she said.
Uganda's triumph marks an important milestone for the team as it prepares to carry the Zone Five flag onto the continental stage.