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As the Uganda Cranes gear up for their opening match at the TotalEnergies CHAN 2024 tournament, all eyes are on team captain Allan Okello, whose words have struck a powerful chord ahead of Monday’s clash against Algeria.
Set to lead Uganda in his maiden CHAN appearance, Okello has emerged as the emotional and tactical heartbeat of the squad, calling for unity, purpose, and fearless ambition as the Cranes seek to advance past the group stage for the first time in their history.
“Being a leader is a blessing from God,” Okello stated during the final pre-match briefing. “However, on the pitch, everyone must be a leader. We are more than ready; we need to give it our best.”
The 24-year-old playmaker will wear the armband in front of a packed Mandela National Stadium, and he insists the weight of leadership must be shared across the squad if Uganda is to thrive in a group that includes Algeria, South Africa, Guinea, and Niger.
“Every player wants to make history for the first time, so everyone will give their best,” Okello emphasized.
That hunger is rooted in Uganda’s painful past in CHAN — six tournaments, no knockout appearances. For Okello, the memories are still fresh from Uganda’s last meeting with Algeria, a 2-1 defeat during the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers, in which the Cranes showed promise but lacked composure in key moments.
“We played them in the World Cup qualifiers and lost, but we learned from our mistakes. There’s no room for error now,” he said before adding;
“We need to make history in front of our fans, and we are prepared.”
Beyond tactics and technique, Okello believes that the fans will be the Cranes’ twelfth man, urging supporters to show up in full voice and spirit.
“You can get tired for some minutes, but when you hear voices behind you, you push on,” he said.
“So, we need fans to fill up Namboole tomorrow and in all the upcoming games. We can make history together.”
CHAN 2024, dubbed PAMOJA 2024, is jointly hosted by Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania from August 2 to 30. The tournament is exclusive to players competing in their respective domestic leagues.
Senegal enters the tournament as defending champions.
