Kitara captain Jasper Aheebwa believes playing continental football in Hoima can transform their fortunes when they face Mogadishu City Club on Sunday.
The Royals are officially the away team for the CAF Confederation Cup first leg, but circumstances have handed them familiar surroundings at Hoima City Stadium.
For Aheebwa, that represents a significant change from Kitara’s maiden continental campaign during the 2024/25 season against Libya’s Al Hilal Benghazi.
Kitara were unable to secure an approved venue in Uganda and consequently staged their designated home leg at Benina Martyrs Stadium in Benghazi.
That campaign ended at the first preliminary round after Kitara lost both matches 3-2, eventually bowing out 6-4 on aggregate.
Brian Aheebwa and Denis Omedi scored during the opening defeat, when goalkeeper Crispus Kusiima was sent off early in the second half.
Titus Ssematimba and Omedi then scored in the return encounter, but another 3-2 defeat ended Kitara’s first African adventure.
Two years later, Aheebwa believes the opportunity to play before their supporters provides an entirely different platform for Kitara’s latest continental challenge.
“On paper we are away, but we are at home,” Aheebwa said ahead of Sunday’s encounter against the Somali champions.
“We players are motivated by the management, and we are fit because the preseason tournaments have helped us gain fitness and coordination.
“We are good to go, and we are going to work tooth and nail to ensure that we pick up maximum points.”
Kitara have spent preseason combining training with competitive tournaments, which Aheebwa believes have improved both physical conditioning and understanding among the players.
However, the biggest difference from their previous continental appearance remains the opportunity to play their African fixtures on familiar ground.
“Actually, it is good motivation for us because the previous games we played were away in Libya,” Aheebwa explained.
“But now we are at home, in an environment we are used to, with our fans supporting us as we play on our soil.”
Hoima City Stadium has already become familiar territory for Kitara, giving the players greater confidence heading into their meeting with Mogadishu City.
Aheebwa also points towards Kitara’s record at the venue as another source of belief before their latest attempt to progress beyond the preliminary round.
“We have played before in this stadium, it is a good stadium and we are used to it,” Aheebwa said.
“We have not lost any game there, so we want to build on that and make sure we get the result.”
For Kitara, Sunday offers something their maiden continental campaign never provided; the opportunity to experience African club football before their own supporters.