Over three weeks after announcing his intention to return to the Uganda Premier League to revive his career, left-back Mustafa Kizza has reached an agreement to sign for reigning runners-up NEC FC, The Nerve Africa can exclusively confirm.
Following a period of negotiations with NEC, Kizza has agreed to a two-year contract, with an option to leave after the upcoming 2025/26 season should a team from abroad express interest. The club values his experience as they aim to compete strongly in the CAF Confederation Cup.
The Ugandan international had struggled to settle at a club for over a year, either falling out with administrators or struggling for game time elsewhere. His most recent stint was with Egyptian side Telecom FC, which lasted just six months and did not include any competitive appearances.
In an exclusive interview with The Nerve Africa, a source from the 25-year-old’s representing agency, Elite Venture Sports, confirmed the move, revealing that Kizza agreed to a sign-on fee of €9,600 (about UGX 40 million) from NEC, with an unveiling set to take place in the coming days.
“He (Kizza) has agreed to sign with NEC for two seasons, but with a clause allowing him to transfer to Europe should a suitor come calling after next season. He wants to play here (Uganda Premier League), as he’s eager to prove himself and make his mark once again. The past couple of years have been difficult for him, but he’s now ready to go again. He wants a return to the national team,” the source exclusively told The Nerve Africa.
Aside from Egypt’s Telecom FC, the defender has played for boyhood club KCCA FC across two spells, Express FC, Major League Soccer (MLS) side CF Montréal in 2020, and Portuguese club Arouca SC during the 2022–2023 campaign.
Meanwhile, on the international stage, Kizza has earned nine competitive caps for Uganda’s senior national team, the Cranes, since 2019, scoring one goal and registering two assists.
