Nineteen days after a devastating Game 7 finals defeat to the Namuwongo Blazers, the City Oilers hierarchy has swung the axe.
City Oilers head coach Andrew Tendo has been relieved of his duties, marking the abrupt end of a brief, turbulent, yet trophy-laden tenure at the helm of Uganda’s most dominant basketball franchise.
According to Sports Journalist Tuka Brian, Tendo’s departure is only the opening salvo in a major roster overhaul as the club seeks its lost glory.
Burundian international Landry Ndikumana is the first high-profile player confirmed to be leaving, with several other senior stars expected to follow him out the exit door in the coming weeks.
Tendo took the reins in 2024 following the departure of legendary tactician Mandy Juruni. His debut season was nothing short of miraculous; despite losing core figures Jimmy Enabu, James Okello, and Tonny Drileba midway through the campaign, Tendo rallied a depleted squad to an undefeated run and secured a historic 10th national championship.
After a challenging 2025 season, the Oilers made a remarkable turnaround thanks to new players Kurt Curry and Chad Bowie, who helped them go from a struggling team to the finals as the seventh seed.
However, after starting the championship series with a 2–0 lead, the Oilers ultimately fell short and lost the title to the Namuwongo Blazers.
The 2026 season was crafted specifically as a redemption tour. The Oilers tore through the regular season with a ruthless 20–2 record, sweeping the KCCA Panthers and Rezlife Saints in the playoffs to set up a blockbuster finals rematch with the Blazers.
With a 3-2 lead, the ten-time champions were just 40 minutes away from winning their title back. However, they lost both Games 6 and 7, finishing the final game 81-74. This marked the first time in the team’s history that they lost consecutive finals series.
For a management accustomed to undisputed dominance, two consecutive years of playing second fiddle to Namuwongo proved intolerable.
City Oilers is set to call back experienced gaffer Mandy Juruni to take over as Andrew Tendo’s reign comes to an end.
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