Felix Kawooya Ssekabuuza knows what it means to celebrate and suffer at Wankulukuku Stadium. In 2014, he was part of the Gomba technical team that lifted the Masaza Cup. Nine years later, he returned as head coach, only to watch his side lose the final to Bulemeezi.

On October 31, he will be back at the same venue, with another chance to lift the trophy, this time against Kyaggwe.

For Gomba, the final is an opportunity to return to the top after two successive group-stage exits in 2024 and 2025. For Ssekabuuza, who guided the county to the final in his first season as head coach in 2023, it is a chance to put that defeat behind him and complete a remarkable turnaround.

But Kyaggwe will be no strangers to him. Their past encounters have produced tight contests and fine margins, setting the stage for another demanding test as Ssekabuuza seeks a second consecutive Masaza Cup title as a head coach.

Wankulukuku first welcomed him as a winner. In 2014, while serving as Shafik Bisaso’s assistant, Ssekabuuza was part of the Gomba technical team that beat Ssingo 7-6 on penalties to lift the trophy. Gomba had forced the match into a shoot-out with a 90th-minute equaliser before holding their nerve from the spot.

His return as head coach in 2023 brought a different outcome. Gomba reached the final but lost to Bulemeezi, leaving Ssekabuuza with unfinished business at a venue where he has experienced both sides of football’s fine margins.

Now, after rebuilding Gomba’s campaign following two seasons of early elimination, he has another opportunity to deliver the title.

*A coach with experience across competitions*

Ssekabuuza’s coaching career spans lower-division football, school competitions and the Masaza Cup, giving him experience in different settings and at different levels of competition.

At Kiboga Young, he helped guide the club through the lower divisions towards promotion to the FUFA Big League. He later led Ntugasaze to the Buganda Regional League title in the 2023/24 season, securing promotion to the FUFA Big League after defeating Proline in the promotion play-off.

He has also enjoyed success in school football. He guided St Mark High School in Kayunga to the USSSA district championship and the regional title after beating Mehta Secondary School 1-0. In 2024, he coached St Julian High School to the USSSA national boys’ football championship.

His success has not been limited to the touchline in school and league competitions. In the Masaza Cup, Ssekabuuza has built a record through both assistant and head-coaching roles.

As a head coach, his most recent breakthrough came in 2025, when he led Buweekula to their first title under his charge, ending the county’s 21-year wait for the trophy.

Before taking charge of teams himself, he had won two Masaza Cup titles with Gomba, two with Ssingo and another with Busiro in 2022 as an assistant coach.

The experience has placed him among the coaches who have repeatedly gone deep into the competition. His record includes four finals in five years and five consecutive semifinal appearances.

The challenge now is to convert that consistency into another title, this time with a Gomba side that has had to recover from two disappointing seasons.

*Kyaggwe, a familiar opponent*

Ssekabuuza’s history with Kyaggwe adds another dimension to the October 31 final. The sides met in the semifinals in successive seasons before drawing twice during this year’s group stage.

In 2024, while coaching Buweekula, Ssekabuuza faced Kyaggwe in the semifinals. Kyaggwe, then coached by David Mutono, won the first leg 2-1 at Bishops’ grounds in Mukono before holding Buweekula to a goalless draw in the return leg at the Mubende National Teachers’ College play ground.
Kyaggwe advanced to the final, while Buweekula went on to defeat Kyadondo 3-1 in the third-place play-off.

The following season, the sides met again in the semifinals, with Simon Peter Mugerwa in charge of Kyaggwe.

Kyaggwe won the first leg 1-0 at Mubende NTC, leaving Buweekula needing a victory in the return leg to keep their title hopes alive.

Ssekabuuza’s side responded at Bishops’ grounds, where Collins Ssemanda scored from a free kick to secure a 1-0 victory. With the aggregate score level at 1-1, Buweekula prevailed in the penalty shoot-out to reach the final.

They subsequently defeated Ssingo 1-0 to lift the Masaza Cup, turning the previous season’s semifinal disappointment into a defining achievement for the county.

The encounters illustrate how closely matched the teams have been. Kyaggwe edged the 2024 semifinal, while Buweekula found a way through in 2025. Neither side has consistently had things its own way, and the narrow margins could matter again when Ssekabuuza faces Kyaggwe with Gomba.

This year’s group-stage meetings offered little to separate them. Both matches ended 1-1, reinforcing the sense that the final could be decided by small details rather than a clear gulf between the teams.

*Gomba’s road to the final*

When Ssekabuuza returned to Gomba in 2026, he took charge of a team that had failed to progress beyond the group stages in the previous two seasons.

Gomba were drawn in the Masengere group alongside Busiro, Ssese, Kyaggwe, Mawokota and Bulemeezi.

They began with a draw against Busiro before beating Ssese 2-1. Mawokota then handed them their first defeat, winning 1-0.

Their two meetings with Kyaggwe also ended in draws. The first finished 1-1 after Kyaggwe scored first, while the return fixture produced the same scoreline after Gomba took the lead before conceding a late equaliser.

The results meant Gomba had to navigate a competitive group in which the margins between progressing and being eliminated were slim. They nevertheless secured a place in the knockout stages, where their campaign gathered momentum.

In the quarterfinals, Gomba faced Buddu and made a strong start with a 3-0 victory in the first leg. They lost the return leg 1-0 but advanced 3-1 on aggregate.

The semifinals brought another test against Butambala. Gomba won both legs to secure their place in the final, completing a significant turnaround after the group-stage failures of 2024 and 2025.

Their return to the title decider is a measure of the progress made during Ssekabuuza’s tenure. But the job remains incomplete: reaching the final has put them within touching distance of the trophy, not secured it.

Another chance at Wankulukuku

Ssekabuuza’s record of four finals in five years and five consecutive semifinal appearances reflects his consistency in the competition. His 2025 triumph with Buweekula also means he enters the Gomba final with the experience of having won the title as a head coach.

Victory on October 31 would give him consecutive Masaza Cup titles as a head coach and add to the trophies he has won as an assistant. It would also put him in contention to join the coaches who have successfully defended the competition, a feat achieved by his senior, Shafik Bisaso.

For Gomba, the stakes are equally high. The five-time champions have recovered from two consecutive group-stage exits and now have the chance to turn that recovery into a title-winning campaign.

Kyaggwe, however, will provide a stern test. The two group-stage draws between the sides point to a closely contested final, while their previous knockout encounters show how narrow the margins can be when Ssekabuuza’s teams face them.