The StarTimes Uganda Premier League 2022/23 season awards happened at Sheraton Hotel in Kampala on Thursday evening.
It was an adventurous ceremony that witnessed good, bad and ugly scenes as narrated in this piece.
It was a few minutes past 7:00 pm when the Season Awards got underway shortly after a dinner meal for the guests and organisers.
Champions Vipers SC captain, Karisa has scooped four awards on the night. MVP, Most Assists, Coaches’ Player of the season, and part of the Best XI of the season.
The Most Valuable Player of the 2022/23 UPL Season is Vipers SC captain Milton Karisa.
Best XI of the season: Simon Tamale (GK), Grant Matsiko, Denis Omony Kaka, Gift Fred, Hillary Mukundane, Lawrence Bukenya, Gaddafi Wahab, Laban Tibita, Milton Karisa, Charles Bbaale, Allan Kayiwa
The top scorer of the season award automatically goes to Express FC forward Allan Kayiwa who managed 13 goals.
Karisa was tied on eight assists with Allan Okello but beat him to the award having scored more goals, eight.
“It is a great honor for me to receive this special award. I would like to thank all of you who believe in me
Thank you for always motivating me to continue have the highest level of dedication. The biggest honors go to my fellow players, coaches, staff and our supportive fans”. Milton Kalisa said.
The Platinum Award goes to the legendary Andrew Fimbo Mukasa.
Isabirye helped the Venoms to their maiden domestic double the UPL and the Uganda Cup.
After guiding Vipers SC to the 2022/23 UPL title, Alex Isabirye is the UPL manager of the season.
Laban featured in 27 match scored seven goals, managed four assists, and won five Man of the Match Awards.
Busoga United FC’s Laban Tibita is the 2022/23 UPL midfielder of the season.
Hilary Mukundane played in 26 games of the 28 as the Venoms defended the 2022/23 UPL title.
Vipers SC defender Hillary Mukundane is the 2022/23 UPL defender of the season.
Tamale kept 13 clean sheets the most of any other goalkeeper in the league and won seven Man of the Match Awards the most of any other player in the league and two Player of the Month Awards.
Maroons FC goalkeeper Simon Tamale is the 2022/23 UPL goalkeeper of the season.
Vipers SC captain Milton Karisa is the coaches’ player of the season.
Ojok scored four goals as the newly promoted Maroons finished sixth on the 15-team UPL log.
Maroons FC’s Darius Ojok is the 2022/23 young player of the season.
Interestingly, Bbaale played 27 of the 28 games in the 2022/23 UPL Season.
Bbaale scored 12 goals in the 2022/23 UPL Season losing the golden boot by one goal to Express FC’s Allan Kayiwa who netted 13 goals.
The team captains have decided the players’ player of the season is SC Villa striker Charles Bbaale.
The Lira based side was nonetheless relegated back to the FUFA Big League but this award will leave them proud for the year spent in the topflight.
Blacks Power takes home the Fair Play Award after picking the least number of yellow cards, 30 and received no red card.
The fair play team of the season Award goes to Blacks Power FC and that is the first of the night.
The third deputy FUFA president Hon. Nakiwala Kiyingi was one of the dignitaries in attendance.
Most of the local media outlet reported that Allan Kayiwa (Top Scorer) and Okello were meant to receive coveted prizes. Instead, only Kayiwa got that.
Meanwhile, after the announcement of Karisa to go pick up his plaque, Okello was seen moving out in disappointment, anguish and pain.
To crown the night, the second-placed team on the log KCCA FC had got any representative walk on to the podium (yes you read it right).
The full list of winners
Player of the Season
•Milton Karisa (Vipers SC)
Midfielder of the Season
•Laban Tibita (Busoga United)
Defender of the Season
•Hillary Mukundane (Vipers SC)
Goalkeeper of the Season
•Simon Tamale (Maroons FC
Coach of the Season
•Alex Isabirye (Vipers SC)
Young player of the Season
•Darius Ojok – (Maroons FC)
Other Categories
•Fair Play team of the Season – Blacks Power
•Coaches Player of Season – Milton Karisa (Vipers)
•Most Assists – Milton Karisa (Vipers)
•Top Scorer – Allan Kayiwa (Express FC)
•Players Player of the Season – Charles Bbaale (SC Villa)
•Platinum Award – Andrew ‘Fimbo’ Mukasa
Team of the Season (Best XI)
•Simon Tamale (Maroons) – Goalkeeper
•Matsiko Grant (Wakiso Giants)
•Denis Kaka (Bright Stars FC)
•Gift Fred (SC Villa)
•Hillary Mukundane (Vipers SC)
•Bukenya Lawrence (Wakiso Giants)
•Gaddafi Wahab (Arua Hill)
•Laban Tibita (Busoga United)
•Milton Karisa (Vipers SC)
•Charles Bbaale (SC Villa)
•Allan Kayiwa (Express FC)
