By Michael Ainomugisha
The UCU Canons will start the 2026 FUBA National Basketball League season without centre Joel Kayiira, who signed with ten-time champions City Oilers. The Oilers confirmed Kayiira’s signing on their X platform on 9 January 2026, adding him to a roster that already includes 2025 league MVP Joel Lukoji and the returning Landry Ndikumana.
Kayiira leaves UCU as one of the most consistent local big men of the past three seasons. His growth since joining the Mukono side has been steady and visible, marked by increased physical presence, improved post play, and defensive reliability. Given his recent form and rising league profile, the move was expected.
Kayiira became a student athlete at UCU in 2022 after only a year of playing organised basketball in 2021. His rise was swift. He captained UCU at the East African University Games in Maseno, Kenya, 2024, where the team won basketball gold and finished second overall. He also featured at the AUUS University Games in 2023 and 2025, winning gold in 2023 and helping UCU to second-place finishes in both editions.
In the 3×3 game, Kayiira played a central role in UCU’s success. He helped the university win back-to-back FASU 3×3 Challenge titles in 2024 and 2025, results that earned UCU back-to-back appearances at the FISU 3×3 World Cup in Xiamen, China, and Brasília, Brazil. His performances also earned him national team call-ups, including appearances at the 3×3 events during the 2024 All Africa Games and AfroBasket competitions in Angola for the Uganda Silverbacks.
At club level, Kayiira helped UCU Canons finish third in the National Basketball League in 2023, 2024, and 2025. Individually, he capped the 2025 season in the league’s best five and was named Defensive Player of the Year, recognition that underlined his impact at both ends of the floor.
Speaking on the This Is Basketball podcast, Kayiira described the move as emotional but necessary.
“Once a Canon, always a Canon. I am still UCU, just in a different jersey,” he said.
“Leaving was hard because UCU is home and family. I am grateful to the coaches, my teammates, and the fans who supported me from day one. I will always support UCU.”
Reflecting on his journey, Kayiira pointed to belief and patience as the foundations of his rise.
“My story should show that it is possible. I started late and in a short time, but with faith, hard work, and discipline, things can change,” he said. “I want local players to see that they can grow, compete, and reach the top level.”
Coach Nicholas Natuhereza said Joel’s mindset stood out from their first meeting.
“The first time I saw him, I saw hunger and drive, so I knew growth was always going to happen. Add his height, close to 6’10, which is rare in Uganda, and I knew he was special,” he said.
“We lose a big piece we cannot replace. His presence in the paint mattered, his influence on teammates mattered, and he was only going to get better this year,” Natuhereza further added.
He, however, stressed that the departure of the Centre, UCU, would find a way to move forward despite losing a key player.
“I wish him nothing but the best. We are used to losing players like Joel, so we shall figure it out and find another way to succeed with the group we have,” he said.
UCU Canons captain Ibanda Lwabanga, who is the only player on the current roster who has had to play the entire time he has been with the club, stated that Joel Kayiira’s rise was built on patience, discipline, and trust in the process.
“What stands out most about Joel as a player is his patience. He understood that his time would come, because when he joined, there were players ahead of him like Titus Lual and Fadili Chuma, so he did not get many minutes. But he trusted the process and continued working. By the time his opportunity came, he was ready,” he said.
Ibanda admitted the gap left behind will not be easy to fill.
“Replacing Joel is not just the job of the big men. Joel rebounded, defended, and did the dirty work, so everyone on the team bears responsibility,” he said.
“There is a big gap, and it will take a collective effort to bridge it. Everyone has to step up and try to emulate who Joel was on the court and as a teammate.”
