Shafik Batambuze claims Tusker award for June

Tusker's Ugandan defender Shafik Batambuze (in yellow) vies for the ball with AFC Leopards Kenyan defender Juma Yusuf during their SportPesa Premier League match at Kenyatta Stadium Machakos on May 25, 2016. PHOTO | MARTIN MUKANGU |

What you need to know:

  • Batambuze was named the club’s finest in June during a brief awards ceremony held on Thursday at the club’s Ruaraka base
  • The soft-spoken Ugandan, who was handed a trophy and Sh50,000 shopping voucher, promised promised to keep fighting hard throughout the season.

Ugandan left back Shafik Batambuze is Tusker’s Player of the Month for June.

Batambuze was named the club’s finest in June during a brief awards ceremony held on Thursday at the club’s Ruaraka base making him the fifth beneficiary of the award after captain James Situma (February), Humphrey Mieno (March), David Okello (April) and Michael Khamati (May).

Tusker have played three games in June – all in the Cup competitions. The brewers lost to Gor Mahia 2-0 and 1-0 in their two-legged KPL Top 8 Knockout tournament before dispatching Machakos United 3-1 in the GOtv Shield round of 64 last weekend.

The soft-spoken Ugandan, who was handed a trophy and Sh50,000 shopping voucher, promised promised to keep fighting hard throughout the season.

“I thank my fellow players for accepting me at the club and helping me have an enjoyable stay here. It is not easy playing for Tusker. We have set very high targets and those goals are sometimes very difficult to achieve, that is why the support is very important,” he said.

Batambuze joined Tusker at the beginning of this year from Western Stima, and he has enjoyed relatively good form under Ugandan coach Paul Nkata.

“I am not the one who makes the selection for awards but I agree that he (Batambuze) has been in good shape this month. He deserves the award.

“Winning the KPL title remains our ultimate goal and since we are still at the top of the table, that dream is very much within reach,” Nkata said.