African and Democratic Republic of Congo heavyweights AS Vita Club have completed the signing of experienced Ugandan goalkeeper Saidi Keni on an initial two-year contract, with an option for a further year.
The 25-year-old officially joins the Congolese and CECAFA region giants after a stint with Shashemene City FC in Ethiopia, where he played for one and a half seasons. He strengthens AS Vita’s squad, which already features Burkina Faso goalkeeper Farid Ouedraogo.
Upon signing, Keni vowed to help AS Vita return to their glory days as one of the continent’s top teams. He expressed his ambition to lead the club to success in local, regional, and continental competitions.
“The task at hand is to help my new team return to the days when they dominated the local league and competed in the CAF Confederation or CAF Champions League,” Keni told The Nerve Africa in an exclusive interview.
“The demands are extremely high because that’s what this club is all about. The work starts immediately, and we won’t stop until we achieve our goals. These are realistic targets, given the enormous history and stature of this club,” he added.
“With hard work, sacrifice, commitment, and a bit of patience, these goals are achievable. On a personal level, striving toward these targets also gives me a chance to return to the national team. That’s one of my dreams,” Keni said.
In addition to Shashemene, Keni previously played for Uganda Premier League sides Proline FC, SC Villa, and BUL FC. He joins an elite list of Ugandan players who have represented AS Vita, including defender Savio Kabugo, striker Yunus Sentamu, and goalkeeper Abel Dhaira.
On the international stage, Keni has earned four caps for the Uganda national team, the Cranes, and is eager to be part of the squad for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco.
