NEC Football Club have confirmed the capture of creative midfielder Pius “TZ” Obuya, marking his official return to the Uganda Premier League after several seasons honing his craft in Europe.
The gifted left-footer has been training with the Bugolobi-based outfit since arriving back in the country, and the club has now moved swiftly to formalise the relationship with a two-year contract that includes a special release clause.
Obuya’s homecoming brings to an end a four-year spell in Serbia, where he steadily built experience in a competitive environment. He first featured for Kabel Sports Club, making 19 appearances, before switching to Radnicki Sremska Mitrovica.
Across his time with Radnicki, the midfielder turned out 38 times and found the back of the net on four occasions, adding goals to his growing reputation as a progressive, ball-playing operator.
Delighted to put pen to paper, Obuya could barely hide his enthusiasm for the next phase of his career.
“It’s a new chapter, let’s get rolling,” the gifted left footer remarked.
The move back to the domestic scene feels like a full-circle moment for a player whose professional journey began remarkably early. Obuya was just 16 when he made his Uganda Premier League bow for Maroons FC against Express at Mutesa II Wankulukuku Stadium on August 29, 2015, in a pulsating contest that ended 3–2 in favour of the Red Eagles. That debut hinted at a career shaped by confidence and maturity beyond his years.
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On the international front, Obuya’s pathway through Uganda’s youth ranks has been steady. He represented the national U-17 side (the Cubs) in 2014, featuring in fixtures against Seychelles, Rwanda and Zambia under head coach Mathias Lule, assisted by Peter Onen.
Three years later, he stepped up to the U-20 team, the Hippos, further underlining his promise on the continental stage. A senior Uganda Cranes breakthrough has so far eluded him, but the ambition remains firmly alive.
“I will continue working hard every day with a dream to cement a place on the senior national team,” he confessed.
Technically refined and tactically aware, Obuya brings a modern midfield profile to NEC FC. He is celebrated for his cultured left foot, clean first touch and sharp decision-making, while his ability to glide past opponents, deliver accurate crosses and thread incisive passes adds variety to his team’s attacking options. In recent months, his shooting has also come on leaps and bounds, giving him another edge in the final third.
The 24-year-old is now in line to make his competitive debut for NEC in the Stanbic Uganda Cup, with the club set to travel to Kasese to face Mabira Town Council FC in a round-of-64 encounter. If selected, it will be Obuya’s first taste of competitive action back on Ugandan soil since returning from Europe, and the opening chapter of what NEC will hope is an influential new spell for their latest midfield addition.
