Kitende at 25: The Winning Culture and Lessons Behind a School Sports Dynasty
When the conversation turns to winning in Ugandan school sports, St Mary’s Kitende is almost impossible to leave out.
For 25 years, the school has built a reputation around sporting excellence, turning talent development, discipline, preparation and investment into a culture of winning that has produced champions across generations.
That culture was on full display in Morogoro, Tanzania, where Kitende returned from the 2026 FEASSA Games with a remarkable three gold trophies in boys’ football, basketball 5×5 and netball – a fitting celebration as the institution marks its Silver Jubilee.
For school director Dr Lawrence Mulindwa, however, the latest success is not a surprise or an accident. It is the result of a deliberate system that has been built over many years.
“People may get tired of us winning, but we shall not get tired of winning because it is what defines us. Even when they introduce another competition, we shall enter and win again.”
Winning is prepared for
Mulindwa believes Kitende’s success comes from preparation rather than luck.
He says the school has invested heavily in human resources and, more importantly, in identifying, nurturing and developing young talent.
The philosophy is simple: identify talent, nurture it, develop it and eventually put it to proper use in a competitive environment.
That approach has not only produced school trophies but also professionals who have gone on to contribute to Uganda’s sporting industry.
“We are winning not by accident but because we prepare very well for competitions,” Mulindwa says.
For Kitende, therefore, sport is not treated as an extracurricular activity that students simply participate in. It is part of a wider development programme built around purpose, planning and long-term investment.
The lesson beyond the trophies
Kitende’s dominance has often raised a question: What is the secret?
Mulindwa insists there is no magic. Instead, he points to something he believes many institutions lack – a clear vision.
He argues that schools cannot simply assemble young players whenever a new competition appears and expect sustained success. Institutions need to know what they want to achieve, build structures around that vision and remain committed to it.
“You have to play with a purpose and vision. You cannot just collect young youths and assemble them to play without consistency,” he explains.
According to Mulindwa, that vision must be accompanied by sacrifice, love for sport and commitment to the institution.
Discipline and winning go together
One of Kitende’s strongest pillars has been discipline. Mulindwa believes talent alone cannot create champions.
Discipline and integrity must accompany talent development if young athletes are to reach their full potential.
“Discipline and winning move together. Therefore, do not expect winning without discipline.”
The combination of talent, discipline and proper development has helped Kitende build teams capable of competing consistently at the highest level of school sport in East Africa.
The school now boasts 15 East African school sports titles, a record that remains a major part of its sporting legacy.
The three-year trophy drought
Interestingly, Kitende’s recent return to the top came after what Mulindwa describes as a three-year trophy drought.
Rather than viewing the period as failure, he sees it as a strategic retreat – an opportunity to study opponents, understand their tactics and strengthen the institution.
That patience has now appeared to pay off. The three FEASSA gold trophies from Morogoro have provided a powerful response and arrived at the perfect time, adding even greater meaning to the school’s 25th anniversary celebrations.
The Silver Jubilee Trophy Combo
The three Morogoro titles have effectively become Kitende’s Silver Jubilee Trophy Combo – a golden celebration of 25 years of building one of Uganda’s most successful school sports programmes.
But perhaps the biggest lesson from Kitende’s quarter-century journey is not the number of trophies in its cabinet. It is the system behind the trophies.
Other institutions can take lessons from Kitende’s emphasis on long-term vision, investment in coaches and human resources, talent identification, discipline, consistent preparation and the willingness to build for the future rather than chase instant success.
Kitende has demonstrated that sporting dominance is rarely created overnight. It is built one athlete, one coach, one training session, one investment and one generation at a time.
As the school celebrates 25 years, its message to the rest of Uganda’s school sports fraternity is clear: winning can become a culture when the foundation is strong enough to sustain it.