ENTEBBE – Cricket Uganda has turned to one of Africa’s most celebrated cricketers to steer its national team through a decisive moment.
On Friday in Entebbe, the federation unveiled Kenyan legend Steve Tikolo as the new head coach of the Cricket Cranes, entrusting the former World Cup captain with the task of guiding Uganda back to cricket’s biggest stage.
Tikolo’s return follows a five-month global search that drew more than 75 applicants from across the cricketing world, underlining the growing ambition surrounding Uganda’s national side as it prepares for a critical stretch of international competition.
Tikolo, 54, has signed a three-year contract and returns to a familiar environment. This will be his third coaching stint with Uganda, having previously served as batting coach between 2012 and 2013 and later as head coach from 2016 to 2019. He replaces India’s Abhay Sharma, whose tenure ended in October last year.
For Cricket Uganda, the decision brings back a figure who understands both the ambitions and the pressures surrounding the national side. During the search for Sharma’s successor, assistant coach Jackson Ogwang stepped in to guide the team while administrators sifted through a deep international pool of candidates.
The recruitment process began on January 26 and quickly drew interest from around the world. Applications arrived from at least 14 countries, including South Africa, India, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, Scotland, Zimbabwe, Sri Lanka, Pakistan and the United Kingdom. From that initial field, ten candidates were shortlisted for further evaluation.
Those candidates were invited to virtual interviews, where they presented their coaching philosophies and strategic plans for the team. A five-member panel drawn from Cricket Uganda’s leadership and high-performance departments assessed each candidate using a structured evaluation framework that examined coaching credentials, technical expertise, leadership qualities and alignment with the organization’s long-term goals.
By the end of the process, Tikolo had emerged as the clear frontrunner.
Evelyn Kabongerwa Shinyekwa, Cricket Uganda’s acting chief executive officer, said the lengthy search was necessary to ensure the right choice.
“We have not had a head coach for five months, so it has not been an easy process,” she said. “We received more than 75 applications and interviewed ten candidates. Steve Tikolo emerged as the winner because of his previous knowledge of Cricket Uganda and his experience.”
Shinyekwa also pointed to Tikolo’s playing career as a crucial factor in the decision. The Kenyan legend represented his country at five ICC Cricket World Cups and captained the national team for seven years.
“We believe he can coach our team to World Cup standards because that is our goal—to go back,” she said.
Richard Okia, Cricket Uganda’s head of high performance and pathways, described Tikolo as uniquely positioned to lead the team’s next phase of development.
“Steve Tikolo stood out as the most qualified and suitable candidate due to his vast international experience, strong coaching record across Associate nations, and deep understanding of East African cricket,” Okia said. “His leadership and high-performance background make him ideally suited to guide Uganda’s men’s team forward.”
For Tikolo himself, the appointment carries a sense of unfinished business.
“My motivation to apply was that when I was here for the second time we did well,” he said. “My goal was to take the team to the World Cup but that didn’t happen. For me, that is unfinished business with the Cricket Cranes.”
Having experienced the sport’s biggest stage as a player, Tikolo says he now wants to help Uganda reach it as a coach.
“I played at the World Cup, and I would love to take Uganda there as a coach,” he said.
His immediate targets are clear. Uganda is seeking to secure One Day International status and strengthen its position in global cricket. Those ambitions will shape Tikolo’s early priorities with the squad.
“I left the team in a good space, and the coaches that came after did well to take the team to the World Cup,” he said. “Now we have to look at ODI status for Uganda and give it a serious push. Those are the key objectives.”
Tikolo arrives with one of the most distinguished resumes in African cricket. As a player, he appeared in 135 One Day Internationals, scoring 3,428 runs—including three centuries—and claiming 94 wickets. In first-class cricket he accumulated 4,728 runs across 62 matches, while his T20 international record includes 345 runs and 12 wickets.
His international reputation was cemented during Kenya’s remarkable run to the semi-finals of the 2003 ICC Cricket World Cup in South Africa, when he captained the side and helped deliver one of the most memorable campaigns in Associate cricket history.
After retiring from international cricket, Tikolo built a coaching career across the region, working with Kenya, Tanzania, Nigeria and Uganda. Most recently he served as head coach and high-performance manager of Nigeria from 2022 to 2026.
His return to Uganda comes at the start of a busy international season.
The Cricket Cranes are scheduled to travel to Namibia for a short tour that will serve as Tikolo’s first opportunity to reconnect with the squad and begin shaping the team’s tactical direction. The tour includes two Twenty20 matches against Namibia A on March 18 and 19, followed by three 50-over games against Namibia and Namibia A between March 21 and March 25.
The squad for the tour will be led by captain Riazat Ali Shah and includes experienced players such as Robinson Obuya, Simon Ssesazi, Kenneth Waiswa and Henry Ssenyondo, alongside a group of emerging talents.
Beyond Namibia, Uganda faces an important year in international cricket. The team will compete in the ICC Cricket World Cup Challenge League B tournament in Dar es Salaam in August, where strong performances could move the country closer to securing ODI status.
Later in the year, the Cricket Cranes will also attempt to qualify for the 2028 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup through the Africa sub-regional qualifiers scheduled for October in Nigeria.
For Cricket Uganda, Tikolo’s return represents more than a coaching appointment. It signals a renewed push to elevate the national team’s standing in the global game.
As Uganda prepares for a demanding international calendar, the federation is betting that the experience, leadership and reputation of one of Africa’s cricketing legends can help carry the Cricket Cranes to their next milestone.
