Community Model: Kitara FC, the Bunyoro Club Shaking Ugandan Football
What began as a community initiative in 2010 has grown into one of the most compelling success stories in Ugandan football
HOIMA CITY, June 2, 2026 — In the heart of Uganda’s oil-rich Bunyoro sub-region, a football revolution is quietly taking shape.
What began as a community initiative in 2010 has grown into one of the most compelling success stories in Ugandan football. Today, Kitara FC — affectionately known as The Royals and The Pride of Bunyoro — stands as a shining example of how community ownership, strong leadership and passionate fan support can transform a football club.
The club’s recent triumph in the Stanbic Uganda Cup, their second victory in the competition, has further cemented their status as one of the country’s emerging football powers. Yet for Kitara FC president Deo Kasozi Akiiki, silverware is only part of a much bigger vision.
“We want Kitara to become a true community club that belongs to the people of Bunyoro,” says Kasozi. “The future of football is in communities owning and supporting their clubs financially.”
A vision rooted in community
The concept of community-owned sports clubs is not new. Across Europe, South America and parts of Africa, clubs have long been sustained by their supporters through memberships, merchandise sales and active participation in governance.
Uganda’s football authorities have increasingly encouraged this model. Under the country’s sports governance framework, clubs seeking recognition as community entities are required to have at least 100 registered members. More importantly, they must demonstrate accountability, transparency and democratic governance.
Kitara FC has already approached the National Council of Sports [NCS] seeking registration as a fully-fledged community club.
For Kasozi, however, community ownership goes beyond legal registration.
“A community club is an emotional thing,” he says. “Fans feel they own the club. They celebrate its victories and share its disappointments.”
That emotional attachment is evident throughout Bunyoro, a kingdom of approximately 2.8 million people whose rich history includes resistance against British colonial rule under the legendary Omukama Kabalega.
From humble beginnings to national success
Kitara FC’s rise has been remarkable. Founded in 2010 in Hoima City, the club steadily climbed Uganda’s football pyramid, progressing from lower divisions to regional football before making history in 2019 by securing promotion to the Uganda Premier League for the first time under coach Mark Twinamatsiko and then-president Godfrey Bamwenda.
Their initial stay in the top flight was brief. The challenges posed by the Covid-19 pandemic, among other factors, contributed to relegation back to the FUFA Big League.
However, the setback proved temporary.
Under the leadership of Deo Kasozi, the club rebuilt both its administrative and technical structures. Guided by experienced coach Sam Ssimbwa, Kitara dominated the 2022/23 FUFA Big League campaign, losing only three matches and winning the title to secure promotion back to the top flight.
The club’s momentum continued.
In the 2023/24 season, under head coach Brian Ssenyondo, Kitara achieved one of the greatest milestones in its history by winning the Uganda Cup. Solomon Okwalinga’s decisive goal against NEC FC at Wankulukuku Stadium delivered the trophy and secured continental football.
Although Kitara’s CAF Confederation Cup journey ended at the preliminary stage against Libya’s Al Hilal Benghazi, the experience provided valuable lessons for a club still in its growth phase.
Building a sustainable future
Perhaps the most impressive aspect of Kitara FC’s story is not what happens on the pitch but the ambitious plans taking shape off it.
The Ugandan government has invested more than Shs 500 billion in the construction of Hoima City Stadium, one of the facilities expected to host matches during the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations [AFCON].
The development is expected to boost football in the region and further strengthen Kitara’s position as Bunyoro’s flagship sporting institution.
The club itself has also made significant strides. After temporarily hosting matches in Masindi, Kitara moved into its own home, The Royals Park Stadium in Butema, upon completion in September 2024.
Yet Kasozi believes infrastructure alone will not guarantee success.
“The club must be sold to the fans,” he explains. “The supporters must see themselves in the club and understand that its future depends on them.”
Replica jerseys provide one example. Demand has already exceeded supply, with club merchandise frequently selling out.
The president estimates that among Bunyoro’s population are hundreds of thousands of people with the potential to contribute financially to the club through memberships, merchandise purchases and match attendance.
If properly organised, he believes Kitara could generate between Shs3 billion and Shs4 billion annually from fan-driven revenue within the next three seasons.
The challenge of community ownership
Despite the optimism, running a successful community club in Uganda remains difficult.
Many supporters have limited disposable income and often struggle to prioritise spending on football. Others still expect free access to matches and club activities.
Former community clubs such as Onduparaka FC and Mbale Heroes have experienced periods of decline largely attributed to governance challenges and financial instability.
For Kasozi, these examples offer important lessons.
“Leadership is everything,” he says. “The leaders must be trusted. They must be accountable and willing to sacrifice.”
Community clubs require transparent governance structures where supporters understand how funds are raised and spent. Kitara has sought to build trust by publicly sharing gate collection figures and encouraging supporters to contribute directly to the club’s development.
Accountability, according to club officials, is essential if supporters are to feel genuine ownership.
Beyond football
Kitara’s ambitions stretch beyond match days.
Club officials are exploring various sustainable income-generating projects, including agriculture, food processing and manufacturing ventures that could provide long-term financial security.
Plans are also being discussed for a supporters’ savings and credit cooperative [SACCO] to help fans save money and access investment opportunities.
The Bunyoro Kingdom has further strengthened the club’s prospects by pledging land that could support community projects and youth development programmes.
Meanwhile, Kitara continues to invest in its academy structures, particularly at Under-17 level, as part of a broader strategy to develop local talent.
A blueprint for Uganda?
As Ugandan football searches for sustainable models capable of reducing dependence on wealthy individuals, Kitara FC’s experiment is attracting increasing attention.
The club remains heavily reliant on committed leaders and benefactors, but its transition towards genuine community ownership offers valuable lessons for others.
Football experts argue that successful community clubs require several key ingredients: trusted leadership, transparent governance, active supporter participation, diversified revenue streams and a clear long-term vision.
Kitara FC appears determined to build all five.
The ultimate target remains winning the Uganda Premier League title, something the club has yet to achieve. Kasozi believes addressing technical weaknesses and strengthening organisational structures can make that dream a reality.
For now, however, the club’s greatest achievement may be proving that a football team can become far more than a sporting institution.
In Bunyoro, Kitara FC has become a symbol of regional pride, community identity and collective ambition.
Whether the Royals ultimately conquer Ugandan football or not, they are already demonstrating what is possible when an entire community decides to dream together.
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