Uganda’s Lady Volleyball Cranes concluded an encouraging campaign at the 2026 CAVB Women’s African Nations Volleyball Championship in Nairobi, securing an 8th-place continental finish.
Making their third appearance at Africa’s premier national team tournament, the Lady Cranes demonstrated clear structural progress and competitive depth across two weeks of high-octane action at the Kasarani Indoor Arena.
Strong Group Stage Launch in Pool B
Guided by head coach Protus Barasa, Uganda hit the ground running in Pool B. The team opened its group stage campaign with a commanding 3-0 victory over Senegal (25-2, 25-15, 25-16), utilizing aggressive jump-serves and dominant transition play.
Uganda maintained momentum by dismantling Burkina Faso 3-0 in their second fixture, effectively locking up a spot in the knockout rounds early.
Though they suffered a 3-0 setback to powerhouse Egypt—who ultimately went on to win the tournament undefeated—in their final fixture, Uganda comfortably advanced to the round of 16.
In the Round of 16, the Lady Cranes produced one of their most complete performances of the tournament, brushing aside the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) 3-0.
After a tense opener that went to extra points (27-25), Uganda dominated the remaining sets (25-18, 25-18) to clinch a berth in the last eight.
Uganda’s quarter-final matchup brought an ultimate test against 3-time continental champions Cameroon.
Led by team captain Catherine Ainembabazi, alongside star performers Joan Tushemereirwe and Lydia Lamaro, the Ugandans pushed the Indomitable Lionesses in a high-intensity battle before falling 3-0 (25-18, 25-20, 25-18).
Uganda closed out its tournament schedule in the ranking classification matches, battling to a 5-set thriller against Ghana in the 7th/8th-place playoff before bowing out to finish 8th overall.
The top-8 finish marks continuous progress for Ugandan volleyball on the African stage.
With key figures like Ainembabazi demonstrating international-caliber offensive efficiency, the national team returned to Kampala with valuable exposure and an established foundation ahead of future Zone V qualifiers and continental showdowns.
