NCPB storm East Africa handball championships semis

After she was deemed surplus to requirements by National Cereals and Produce Board (NCPB), women's handball team in 2017, centre player Winnie Onyango found a home at Nkajja of Uganda.

Onyango is part of the Nkajja team that is participating in the ongoing East and Central Africa Handball Clubs Championship (ECHAF) at the Nyayo National Stadium in Nairobi. Nkajja recorded their first loss of the competition on Thursday at the hands of Cereals 24-28.

The Ugandan side had played to a 35-35 draw against Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) and a 37-37 draw against defending champions Nairobi Water in the previous matches.

Onyango said after clearing her O level at the Sega Secondary School in 2017, she joined Cereals briefly but was later released. 

"Luckily during the 2017 East Africa School Games in Gulu, Uganda, I impressed while playing for Sega, and that's how Kampala International University sought my services and gave me a scholarship to study. I joined the team in 2018 where I studied Tourism and Hotel Management. I played for the team before I graduated with a Diploma early this year," said Onyango, 24, who hails from Siaya County.

"Nkajja then sought my services this year as they made their entry in the league for the first time. The ECHAF is perfect ground for us to sharpen our areas of weakness as we prepare to make amends in the second leg of the Uganda Handball Federation Super League that is on a break. We have really played well here. Managing to play to a draw against Nairobi Water and KDF is really good because it shows our capabilities. I believe fatigue checked in and that's why we lost to Cereal," she added.

Nkajja are eighth on the Uganda league standings with five points from 15 matches. Police lead the standings with 26 points.

Onyango said despite Kenyan clubs having shown interest in her, she was not keen on coming back home just yet, saying there are more opportunities in Uganda than in Kenya.

"KDF and Cereals have shown interest but I'm not keen to relocate. I have work in Uganda and the sport is growing and I want to be part of the growth. I will come back, but not now," said Onyango.

Meanwhile, defending champions National Cereals and Produce Board (NCPB) and Gicumbi of Rwanda on Thursday won their last pool "A" matches to book their slots in the semi-finals to be played on Friday afternoon.

NCPB overwhelmed their compatriots and local rivals Kenya Defence Forces 34-26, while Gicumbi dismissed Uganda People Defence Forces (UPDF) 40-35.

Cereals topped pool "A" with four points from three matches, same as Gicumbi, but the Rwandese had an inferior goal difference.

In pool "B", Uganda Prisons beat their compatriots Evergreen 37-31 to seal their place in the semi-final with six points from four matches.

General Service Unit (GSU) of Kenya and Rwanda Police will square it out in their last group match on Friday morning to determine who joins Uganda Prisons in the last four. GSU and Police both have four points from three matches.

In the women's category, Cereals recorded their second win after defeating Nkajja of Uganda 28-24 in the event which organisers changed the format of play on Thursday from group to round robin after Juba City form South Sudan failed to honour the event.

Cereals had beaten Jeshi La Kujenga Taifa (JKT) from Tanzania 40-25 in pool "B". JKT humbled KDF 37-31 in the other women's match.