Uganda impressively finished joint-third in the mixed team event at the African Badminton Championships last year, but faced a tough assignment against the runners-up at the last Team Championships in Algeria in their opening match in Group B.

However, Uganda's team of Tracy Naluwooza, Brenda Awor, Fadilah Shamika Mohamed Rafi and Husina Kobugabe proved too strong for their opponents at the Lugogo Indoor Stadium, and they ended up 4-1 winners.

Earlier in the day in the same group, defending champions Egypt had cruised to a 5-0 victory over Zimbabwe.

In Group A in the Women's Championship, Réunion clinched an entertaining 3-2 win against South Africa to start.

South Africa's defeat came despite the best efforts of Deidre Laurens Jordaan, who won her singles and doubles match, a feat matched by Mathilde Lepetit for Réunion.

The other team in Group A in 2020 bronze medallists and two-time winners Mauritius are set to start their tournament against Réunion tomorrow.

In the All Africa Men's Team Badminton Championships, reigning champions Algeria began with two comfortable 5-0 victories over Réunion and Benin in Group B.

Algeria's Youcef Sabri Medel, Adel Hamek, Mohamed Abderrahime Belarbi, Koceila Mammeri, Mohamed Abdelaziz Ouchefoun and Sifeddine Larbaoui all finished the day with 100 per cent records from their matches played.

Uganda eased to a 5-0 win against Benin in their opener, but then suffered what could be a pivotal 3-2 defeat to Réunion in a result that leaves both teams level on two points, although with the hosts having Algeria to play in their final group match tomorrow.

Mauritius, runners-up in 2020, thrashed Zimbabwe 5-0 in the only contest in Group A, with Egypt recording the same scoreline against Cameroon in Group C.

The group stage of the men's tournament is set to conclude tomorrow with the first phase of the women's competition set to conclude on Wednesday (February 16).