Ugandan international and attacking midfielder Abdul Karim Watambala is on the verge of leaving seven-time Startimes Uganda Premier League champions Vipers Sports Club to join Tanzanian giants Azam FC.
Watambala’s contract is set to expire on June 30, and despite previous talks of a renewal with Vipers, Azam have emerged as the frontrunners to secure his signature. A source at his new agency, Next Pro Sports, confirmed the developments, revealing that Azam have tabled a two-year contract offer.
“His deal with Vipers is done, and while the club wanted him to renew, the offer and terms from Azam are much better. The Tanzanians have already spoken directly to the player, and he is willing to make the move. The parties are finalizing the details, and it’ll be a done deal within days—or even hours,” the source exclusively told Footy-Africa.
The 25-year-old midfielder has been with Vipers since 2019, having joined from St. Mary’s Secondary School, Kitende, the club’s feeder team. Since then, he has made 172 appearances across the Uganda Premier League, Uganda Cup, CAF Champions League, and FUFA Super 8 tournament, scoring 18 goals and providing 24 assists.
Over his six-year stint at Vipers, Watambala has won four Uganda Premier League titles and three Uganda Cups. He also played a pivotal role in helping the club reach the group stage of the CAF Champions League for the first time in 2023 and was named Most Valuable Player (MVP) in the 2024/25 Uganda Cup.
On the international stage, Watambala has earned 14 caps for the Uganda senior national team, the Cranes. He previously featured at youth level for the U-17, U-20, and U-23 sides and was part of the squad at the 2020 U-20 Africa Cup of Nations.
