Africa-Press – Uganda. Fauzia Najjemba is one of two returnees to the Caf Young Player of the Year (women) nomination list that was released Tuesday.
Najjemba has to battle against Senegal’s Hapsatou Diallo with whom they were also nominated for the award that went to Ghana’s Evelyn Badu in June last year after the trio’s good exploits for their U-20 national teams.
Tanzania’s Winfreda Gerald is another familiar face in the race this time while Moroccan defender Nesryne El Chad is another nominee that Najjemba has played against.
South Africa’s Thubelihle Shamase – a substitute when her country’s U-20 visited Uganda last year, Ghanaian duo Mary Amponsah and Comfort Yeboah, plus Nigerian trio Deborah Abiodun, Esther Ajakaye and Oluwatosin Demehin are also in contention.
Najjemba was undoubtedly one of Uganda’s shining lights in the unsuccessful Olympic and Women Africa Cup of Nations (Wafcon) campaigns but has also been in imperious form for her Russian club Dynamo Moscow since joining them last year from Kazakhstan.
Najjemba has also grown in the national team’s leadership circle. In fact whenever any of the captains Ruth Aturo and Hasifah Nassuna were taken off or dropped completely from the national team, the ambidextrous winger took over the armband.
“Deeply grateful for the nomination,” Najjemba posted on X.
Her reaction was as gracious as the expected outcome of the competition in which she goes up against players that have helped their countries reach further in the aforementioned campaigns and are also taking part in the ongoing Caf Women’s Champions League.
Caf also nominated Fazila Ikwaput for the main award, where her efforts as top scorer of the Cecafa zone’s Champions League qualifiers are being recognized. She has also been in red hot form for the national team.
However, she also comes up against familiar names including five time winner Asisat Oshoala, who has a line of six Nigerians following her. Last year’s runner up Ajara Nchout, who was one of the players that put paid to Uganda’s Olympic dream is also in running.
At a Glance
Name: Fauzia Najjemba
Clubs represented: Isra Academy, Kampala Queens, BIIK Shymkent (Kazakhstan), Dynamo Moscow (Russia)
Date of birth: October 7, 2003
Major tournaments: Cosafa U-17 2019, Cecafa U-17 2019, U-17 World Cup qualifiers 2020, U-20 World Cup qualifiers 2020 and 2022, Cecafa U-20 2021, Cosafa 2018, Olympic qualifiers 2019 and 2023, Cecafa 2019, Awcon qualifiers 2021 and 2023, Awcon 2022
Name: Fazila Ikwaput
Clubs represented: Olila HS, Gokulam Kerala (India), BIIK Kazygurt (Kazakhstan), Lady Doves
Date of birth: September 15, 1995
Shirt number: 9
Major tournaments: Caf Women’s Champions League qualifiers 2021, Uefa Champions League 2018/19, Cecafa 2016, Cecafa 2019, Olympic qualifiers 2019 and 2023, Cecafa 2022, Awcon qualifiers 2023, Awcon 2022
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