Uganda’s Cricket Cranes surrendered the ILT20 Continent Cup after Kenya completed a 39-run victory in Saturday’s final.
Kenya posted 170 for seven after choosing to bat, before Uganda collapsed for 131 inside 17.5 overs.
The defeat denied Uganda a third successive tournament crown after winning the previous editions staged in 2023 and 2024.
Uganda had appeared well positioned after reducing Kenya to 103 for six with just 31 deliveries remaining.
However, Brian Likavu and Francis Mutua transformed the innings by attacking Uganda’s bowlers aggressively during the closing overs.
Likavu finished unbeaten on 41 from 21 balls, while Mutua contributed 29 from only 16 deliveries.
Their late acceleration pushed Kenya to 170, leaving Uganda needing 171 to successfully defend their continental title.
Enock Kasaija returned Uganda’s best bowling figures with two wickets for 34 runs across his four overs.
Juma Miyagi, Joseph Baguma, Matthew Musinguzi and captain Riazat Ali Shah each collected one wicket for Uganda.
Uganda’s chase unravelled almost immediately as Kenya removed five batters before the scoreboard had reached 26 runs.
Robinson Obuya fell for seven, before Anas Baig, Charles Musemeza, Gerald Olipa and Ronald Lutaaya followed quickly.
Olipa’s dismissal proved particularly damaging after his explosive 95 had inspired Uganda’s 47-run victory over Kenya on Friday.
By 4.3 overs, Uganda had crashed to 25 for five and required an extraordinary recovery to survive.
Riazat attempted exactly that, producing a counterattacking 53 from 33 balls containing four boundaries and three sixes.
Kenneth Waiswa supported him with 17 from 13 deliveries, but Kenya continued collecting wickets around their partnership.
Uganda slipped further to 63 for seven before Riazat combined with the lower order to delay defeat.
His resistance ended at 116 for eight, leaving the remaining batters facing an increasingly impossible required rate.
Matthew Musinguzi added 14 from six deliveries, but Uganda were eventually dismissed for 131 after 17.5 overs.
Sachin Gill and Lucas Oluoch claimed three wickets each, while Shem Ngoche finished with two wickets for 14.
Riazat was nevertheless named Player of the Match following his half-century and one wicket during Kenya’s innings.
The result completed a dramatic reversal after Uganda had comprehensively defeated Kenya by 47 runs just 24 hours earlier.
That victory had carried Uganda top of the round-robin standings, after seven wins from their eight matches.
Kenya finished the tournament with two victories from three meetings against Uganda, including the decisive championship match.
Uganda’s attention now shifts towards the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup Africa Sub-Regional Qualifier C in Nigeria.
The competition represents their next major assignment and continues Uganda’s qualification journey towards the 2028 T20 World Cup.
Uganda are scheduled to face Zambia, Lesotho, Gambia, Mozambique and hosts Nigeria during the Abuja qualifying tournament.
Their opening listed fixture comes against Zambia on October 20, before concluding against Nigeria on October 25.
For Uganda, Kigali still produced encouraging performances, but Saturday exposed costly weaknesses under pressure during another Kenyan showdown.
Those lessons now become important before Uganda contests October’s ICC Men’s T20 World Cup Africa Sub-Regional Qualifier C in Nigeria.