Today, Uganda celebrates its 63rd year of Independence since it became a sovereign state in 1962.
In a two part series, We join the celebrations with some of the sporting successes of post-Independence Uganda and also share some of the challenges in no particular order.
Field success
1- Olympic success
From 1972 to the latest Olympics in Paris, Uganda has had its fair share of sporting glory at the grandest of stages.
John Akii-Bua won Uganda’s first-ever Olympic gold medal in the 400-meter hurdles, setting a world record (47.82) then in 1972. No one could have thought the next one would come 40 years later.
But in 2012, Stephen Kiprotich ended Uganda’s Olympic gold drought by winning the men’s marathon at the London Olympics.
Peruth Chemutai then became the first female Ugandan athlete to win Olympic gold in the women’s 3,000-meter steeplechase at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. Joshua Cheptegei won the men’s 5,000m gold in Tokyo too and then got his long awaited 10,000m gold at Paris 2024 – having achieved silver in the same race in Tokyo.
The other Olympic silver medalists include boxers Eridadi Mukwanga (Mexico 1968), Leo Rwabogo (Munich 1972), John Mugabi (Moscow 1980), and Chemutai (Paris 2024) while Rwabogo (Mexico 1968), Davis Kamoga (1996 Atlanta), and Jacob Kiplimo (Paris 2024) have brought home Olympic bronze.
2- Multiple world records
Cheptegei holds the world records (WRs) in both the 5,000m (12:35.36) and 10,000m (26.11.00) distances made in Monaco and Valencia respectively. Cheptegei also once held the 10km road record at 26.38 in 2019.
His compatriot Jacob Kiplimo holds the WR in the half marathon at 56.42 having broken it in February in Barcelona.
3- Athletics world champions
In 2005, Dorcus Inzikuru re-wrote history by winning Uganda her first World Athletics Championships gold while competing in the women’s 3,000m steeplechase in Helsinki in a championship record 9:18.24. Earlier at Athens 1997, Davis Kamoga got Uganda her first athletics Worlds medal when he bagged 400m silver (44.37).
In Osaka 2007, Moses Kipsiro bagged 5,000m bronze (13:46.75) thereby starting a period of long distance glory.
In 2013, Kiprotich showed mettle by complimenting his Olympic gold a year earlier with the Moscow marathon gold (2:09:51). Solomon Mutai saved the 2015 Worlds with bronze in the marathon (2:13:29) and Cheptegei the 2017 ones with silver in the men’s 10,000m.
At Doha 2019, Halimah Nakaayi won the women’s 800m gold while Cheptegei brought home the 10,000m gold. Cheptegei defended his title in Eugene 2022 as Jacob Kiplimo got bronze while Oscar Chelimo also got 5,000m bronze
Cheptegei completed a 10,000m three-peat in Budapest 2023 while Victor Kiplangat got the Pearl of Africa back to the summit of the marathon.
4- Denis Onyango
Most athletes in this country have achieved their success in national colours. But Denis Onyango has been a true export in the sense that he left for Ethiopia in 2004 then went to South Africa in 2006 and has never looked back. He has won 12 league titles in South Africa, a Caf Champions League and Super Cup. He was also named the best player based on the continent in 2016 – making the Caf Team of the Year in 2016 and 2018.
5- Commonwealth success
Uganda has won 58 medals in the Commonwealth Games from mainly athletics and about boxing – 19 of these medals are gold while 16 are silver, and 23 are bronze.
Uganda has also enjoyed lots of medal success at various editions of some multi-discipline games like the Islamic Solidarity Games, Youth Olympics, Youth Commonwealth Games, and African Games among others.
6- Boxing hall of fame
Names like Ayub Kalule, John ‘The Beast Mugabi, Cornelius Boza Edwards, Rwabogo, John Munduga, Kassim Ouma, among others, can all genuinely claim to have been Uganda’s most significant sportsmen of their times. The list of their achievements could populate these pages.
7- School sports
Since elite sport is a reserve of a few, a university and secondary school sport has been a major avenue for athletes to compete at regional, continental, and international stages. For example in swimming, only two athletes can get a wild card to the Olympics but competing at the World School Games, where Uganda has been participating since 2021, is a much easier option.
Uganda has won the last five titles of the multi-discipline Federation of East Africa Secondary School Sports Association (Feasssa) Games. Ndejje University has also won the East Africa University Games title in eight out of 13 editions.
8- Africa Cup of Nations – football
The national men’s football team finished as runners-up in the 1978 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) but did not return to the continental stage until 2017. They were also at the 2019 edition and will return this year. The women have been to two editions in 2000 and 2022.
9- Football youth teams
Football continues to be one of the most popular sports in the country and the youth teams like the boys’ U-17 became the first of Fufa’s 10 national teams to qualify for the World Cup due next month in Qatar after beating Gambia 2-1 in a playoff qualifier. They have also been to two Africa Cup of Nations.
The U-20s have been to two Afcons; 2021 and 2023.
10- She Cranes keep serving
Uganda first went to the netball World Cup in 1979 and have been constants at the quadrennial tournament since returning in 2015. They have also been to the 2018 and 2022 Commonwealth Games plus the 2022 and 2024 Fast5 Series, the 2024 and 2025 Nations Cups. They have been to six African Cups winning three in 2014, 2017, and 2018 while finishing second in 2021, then third in 2013 and 2019.
11- Rugby’s statement wins
The men’s 15s national team probably have the most recognized achievement of winning the Africa Cup in 2007 but the 7s national team has also won the continental title four times in 2016, 2017, 2022, and 2024. They also qualified for the World Cup Sevens in both 2018 (USA) and 2022 (South Africa) and won gold at the 2024 All-Africa Games in Ghana.
Meanwhile in 2009, the women’s 7s national team became the first Ugandan team to play at a Rugby World Cup. They also won gold at the 2024 All-Africa Games and qualified for the African repechage tournament in an attempt to secure a spot at the 2024 Olympics.
12- Para sport
Men’s 1500m T45-46 runner David Emong won Uganda silver and bronze at the 2016 and 2020 Paralympics respectively.
Though more pronounced now, records show Uganda has sent para athletes to the Paralympics since 1972 with representation in powerlifting, athletics, swimming, and table tennis over the years.
Para swimmer Husnah Kukundakwe is also currently pushing through the heights with some para swimming medals from World Series events and Islamic Solidarity Games.
13- Special Olympics
Uganda has reportedly won medals at various Special Summer Olympics World Games – most recently nine medals at Abu Dhabi 2019, five in Berlin 2023. Uganda also won one gold medal at the 2013 Seoul Winter Games for Unified Hockey and an additional gold medal in swimming at the 2007 Shanghai Games among others.
14- Cricket’s solo push
The men’s senior national cricket team finally hit top heights by qualifying for the 2024 ICC T20 World Cup in USA and West Indies. But before that, Uganda had enjoyed international success through the U-19 side that had made the World Cup in 2004, 2006, and 2022.
15- Ssebatindira – pick of prodigies
The table tennis prodigy has won various continental and world U-13 and U-11 titles since hitting the scene in 2023.
16- Continental acclaim
Recently the Ugandan rally crew of Yasin Nasser and Ali Katumba won the African Rally Championship – 26 years since Charles Muhangi (RIP) and Stephen Byaruhanga won it in 1999.
Even continental success has not been easy for Uganda to come across in various disciplines but swimmers like Kirabo Namutebi, Gloria Muzito, Rebecca Ssengonzi have won continental medals.
Simba (1972) and SC Villa (1991) also have continental silver in football (Caf Champions League) as does Kampala Hockey Club (2023) from the Africa Cup for Club Champions.
17- Increased participation
With 51 recognized sports in the country, there is definitely a wider scope of sports activity in the country. Sport at both competitive and recreational – like masters and corporate programmes, fun and good-cause runs, plus alumi leagues – level has grown by leaps and bounds.
18- Chan 2024
This football mad country had a glimpse of what it takes to host a major tournament when the African Nations Championship (Chan) came home in a joint affair with neighbours Kenya and Tanzania as a mock examination ahead of the widely anticipated hosting of Afcon 2027.
Fans thronged the Mandela National Stadium, Namboole in numbers despite being tested with modern ticketing systems and stadium restrictions. In the end, the Cranes also broke their group stage jinx by making the quarterfinals for the first time since the now biennial tournament started in 2009.
19- Other sports hosting major events
Badminton probably leads the group of other federations that host major events here as the Uganda International and its para badminton equivalent are annual events. Cricket, hockey, rugby, rowing, volleyball, basketball and netball are among the sports that have seen major continental or international competitions come to Uganda.
20- Officials at major events
Much as we celebrate the athletes that have taken Uganda to the world stage, it is important to recognize the officials like Ali Tomusange (football World Cup 2002) that have raised Uganda’s flag at major games.
Infrastructure development
21- Hoima City Stadium
The $129m multi-sport project that has been constructed by Turkish firm Summa, is just about to be handed over to the government ahead of Afcon 2027.
These Afcon stadium projects that include refurbishing Mandela Stadium, Namboole and the construction of Akii Bua Olympic Stadium in Lira come with a number of training facilities.
Universities like Gulu, Makerere, and Kyambogo are big beneficiaries with training facilities. Namboole was equally given a fresh look ahead of Chan and other sports like rugby and athletics enjoyed the fruits of the facelift but it is only a matter of time before it is locked up again for further development.
22- Private grounds
St. Mary’s Stadium Kitende comes to mind when one speaks of privately owned football facilities in the country. Hamz Stadium Nakivubo is a product of a Public Private Partnership and has recently become of use to national teams and clubs.
However, many other sports like swimming are growing solely on the availability of accessible private training and competition facilities.
Administration
23- Capacity building initiatives
The Uganda Olympic Committee has led capacity building initiatives to train over 4,000 individuals in sports management. The UOC has also partnered with Makerere University Business School (Mubs) to offer courses that will be relevant to the entire sports eco-system – including coaches, fans, nutritionists, athletes, and administrators among others.
Uganda Secondary School Sports Association (USSSA) is also big on technical courses for coaches and match officials while some federations like Fufa have also made courses readily available for their coaches.
24- New law
The 1964 National Council of Sports (NCS) Act was repealed for a fresh 2023 National Sports Act. Various aspects of the latter are still under test but there is no doubt that it is an improvement of the old law as it clearly stipulates how federations and associations can be formed and registered. It stipulates the clear mandate of NCS, recognizes UOC and school sports, and offers remedies for offences in sport.
25- Solved UOC-NCS wrangles
One of the major problems of Ugandan sport in the past was the constant wars between NCS and UOC. The former barely recognized the latter and also accused it of shielding briefcase associations.
The current relationship between the two bodies can be described as harmonious.
26- Semblance of organization among federations
In the recent past, the in-house wrangles among federations have significantly lessened. For some federations, some strong men have successfully entrenched themselves into long-term possession of office while most have had quiet and peaceful change of leadership. But even more importantly, most federations have more activities going on for their athletes both on the local and international scene.
27- Ugandan on international bodies
William Blick, an IOC member, and Donald Rukare, who is currently president of Commonwealth Sport, probably lead this list of Ugandans that have managed to scale the heights to global leadership. But there are a number of others serving their sports at international level
Funding
28- Ring-fenced funding from government
The sports budget has grown from hundreds of millions to over Shs47b over the past decade – maybe hundreds of billions if you want to include the specific funds for construction of stadiums.
Parliament ring-fenced subventions to the federations with Fufa getting the lion’s share of Shs17b. Parliament’s decision means at least each of the recognized federations as per the act gets a share to run their activities – mostly national team engagements.
29- Corporate interest
There is no available data to try and estimate the overall value of sponsorships in Ugandan sport but there is no doubt that it keeps growing especially in football with telecom giants MTN sponsoring the national team and StarTimes making a 10 year deal for most of the Uganda Premier League’s commercial rights. There is basketball – where BetPawa introduced locker-room bonuses for the league among other incentives and cricket which has an undisclosed deal with LycaMobile.
30- Reward and recognition scheme
President Yoweri Museveni has been running a reward scheme for athletes that win medals at the continental and international stage (World Championships and Olympics). The scheme is now part of the new law but is yet to be guided by a statutory instrument designed by the Minister of Sports.
Administration
31. Ramifications of outdated law
The new law was never going to address all issues of the 59 years before it in one go. Many federations, for example, struggle to adapt and implement facets of the new legal regime that seeks to professionalize sports.
32. Lack of corporate governance
Most federations struggle to have a national character. In fact most sports are played within central Uganda and struggle to spread further.
This is mainly because most are set up without professional or fully dedicated staff like chief executive officers or accountants and therefore struggle to professionalize their operations as the elected officials are just volunteers.
33. Broken trust
Years of wrangling have weakened federations. These have lost human resources in terms of players, officials, and fans seeking greener pastures or clean sport. Despite the general growing value of funding, sponsors also struggle to come into sports, especially at club level.
34. Administrative conflicts
With more fans, players, and other stakeholders involved in all sports, there is definitely never going to be consensus about each and everything, so some federations still suffer with administrative issues.
35. Arbitration struggles
Overall, it is hard to resolve arising issues in Ugandan sport because of weak dispute resolution systems. Some disputes, especially in football, have ended up in Courts of Law, which struggle to dispose them off quickly.
Elsewhere, like in swimming, failure to resolve disputes has resulted in broken clubs. In volleyball, we have seen clubs boycott competition because of disputes with other clubs or the federation.
36. Capacity building gaps
While a lot has been done over the past decade by UOC to educate administrators, many federations still struggle to improve the technical capacities of their coaches, referees, and athletes.
Funding
37. Government funding far from enough
Decades of low funding still take their toll on Ugandan sports. Generations of players from all sports wasted away for lack of opportunities.
Federations and their members struggle to compete at top competitions. In fact fundraising to add onto what government offers is the order of the day.
38. Unclear funding criteria
Even with a growing and ring fenced budget, there is no clear mechanism on how allocation of funds is arrived at. In fact, apart from lobbying in relevant political offices, no one knows what a federation has to do to receive more funding.
39. Lack of accountability
More money, more problems! Concerns about accountability have replaced the previous administrative wars between NCS and federations.
The famous war between NCS and netball is well documented but the former insist all federations have accountability concerns.
Parliament once advised that, under the old legal regime, NCS had no basis to ask for accountability from federations and should have opted to give funds based on MoUs.
Federations, in the past, found it hard to declare the funds given by their sponsors and international federations. But the new law now demands that.
40. Inability to generate income for those involved
Ugandan sport struggles to make money, especially at club level, where the majority of the human resource (players, coaches, referees) is involved.
Most competitions are organised by federations so even the meagre funds from gate collections go to federations.
There is barely merchandise to sell and commercial rights are hard to exploit to ensure sport generates income for the people serving it.
41. Negligible economic impact
Even with major tournaments like Chan coming to Uganda, the natives can barely say they felt the financial impact of the tournament.
The visiting countries were locked up in high end hotels. They barely came with fans either.
But that is the general story of Ugandan sport. It barely pays those involved, so the ripple effect on the economy is barely felt.
42. Insufficient rewards scheme
President Museveni’s rewarding scheme seems a personal gesture rather than a national policy. It therefore competes with other priorities he might have for his donations and there have been complaints of neglect for some sports and delays in reception of awards for others.
The ladies’ national basketball team Gazelles reached the quarterfinals of the Afrobasket but barely received any recognition akin to what the Chan team got for a similar feat.
43. Lack of financial literacy
World over, even the finest of athletes can blow away millions of dollars. In Uganda it is the norm for athletes, who have had opportunities to earn from their sweat, to turn up as beggars the next day.
44. Unsustainable funding through individuals
God bless whoever dips a coin into Ugandan sport. But every year, we get more examples of how this goodwill cannot be sustainable.
45. The ‘indiscipline’ debate
Usually, players expect national teams to offer them allowances for their efforts. Unfortunately, some federations which are heavily reliant on NCS funds still struggle to do this and label players that demand for allowances as indiscipline. In fact, some are banned for bringing bad publicity to sport.
But in this day and era, an allowance to an athlete toiling for their nation should be a bare minimum.
Facilities
46. Dilapidated facilities
Many of the public grounds in Uganda can do with a facelift. In recent years, government has embarked on construction of new stadiums and refurbishment of others but a lot more can be done.
Some federations like Fufa have set standards that have improved the privately owned ones.
47. Wiped out public sports land
Over a year ago, NCS met district sports officers and asked them to re-establish lands meant for sports in their districts. These details have not yet been made public but it is common knowledge that many spaces meant for sports in the past have been filled with buildings.
48. Limited access to good facilities
Almost every sport has been forced to make do with the bare minimum of space that can host its activities. Sport, especially, at lower league levels is still played on red-dirt pitches or concrete courts.
The expensive ones like swimming, archery, can barely be spread to areas beyond the central region.
49. Lack of equipment
Most sports have struggled because of the lack of specialised equipment. Athletes can do with wooden hockey sticks, mallets, concrete diving blocks, and so many others for training but world standards have since left that point. Stories of our athletes getting into a rowing boat, or wearing running shoes, or seeing archery arrows, or bicycles for the first time in an international competition have dominated our reviews of performance for a long time.
50. Tough tax regime
URA continues to deny taxation of sports equipment and awards but one has to write to the Commissioner General of URA for an exemption on equipment.
While rowing sought this, their boats donated by the world body were accumulating storage expenses for years in a customs bond. Eventually, an athlete in Kathleen Noble and her family, worked hard with relevant bodies to secure them.
Field of play
51. Grassroots
The grassroots programmes and youth structures have suffered because of the lack of trained human resource at lower levels, lack of facilities, funding.
52. Talent drain
Uganda is not losing a lot of sports talent to other countries but mainly to other sectors within and outside the economy as individuals seek paying pastures.
53. Lack of trained personnel
Pick any sport and you will be hard-placed to find 5-10 names of individuals that have hit maximum continental or world standards in the areas of coaching and refereeing. It is a travesty that we expect world class results from under-trained athletes.
A Ugandan athlete also has their sporting aspect of their life competing with other aspects like education, family, finance, traffic jam, lack of facilities – which all eat into training time.
54. Athlete welfare
Ugandans are believed to have talent. The challenge is that talent is probably everywhere and sporting excellence comes down to how an athlete is taken care of on a day to day basis. Their behaviours, environment in and out of competition, what they eat, how and when they sleep.
However, in Uganda, we still believe that confiscating an athlete’s phone or stopping them from taking soda while they are in camp will enhance performance. What they do prior or after camping is none of our business.
55. Safeguarding concerns
Issues of sexual harassment and inappropriate behaviour from coaches, managers are widespread – sometimes as a prerequisite for playing time or a national team call up – but barely reported for fear of repercussion. Safeguarding programmes have recently become part boardroom conversations and athlete training by the UOC, for example, but a policy is far from being established.
56. Undocumented success
In the 2024/25 Fufa Women Super League season, Resty Kobusobozi scored 17 goals for Masindi-based sides Lady Doves. None of them were visually recorded.
Imagine that is a competition that was moved to 10am with a plan to have its matches on television. Now imagine what is happening to all other sports with no plan of televising or recording games! Okay, make the scope bigger and think of what has been missed across 50 disciplines for the last 63 years!
57. Match fixing
Football is probably the only sport in Uganda with the capacity to have a good number of referees that are not affiliated to clubs in any way before taking on the whistle. But they are always reporting and resolving cases of match fixing.
A few years ago, Sport-S boycotted a volleyball league final citing match fixing from the umpires. In many other sports, these accusations are common.
58. Performance far from elite
Uganda has produced some world champions – mainly in athletics and boxing. Lately, in youth table tennis.
But there are so many more “explanations” – a number of them valid – on why other sports cannot, rather than solutions.
Other sticking concerns
59. Inclusion far from achievable
Sports in Uganda is still mainly a preserve for the able-bodied.
Para sport and special needs sports still get by but on their own. The new law seeks to bring all sports and their disability codes under a unifying umbrella but there is little effort on ground to show this.
60. Climate is still a big player
Delays or games being washed out at YMCA, Lugogo Cricket Oval is not an alien thing. Add soaked and muddy pitches in the lower divisions of various sports. Or players failing to make it for games and you have a good picture of how climate can be a big concern in Ugandan sport.
61. Mental health concerns
This is easy to overlook in an African society where one is expected to play hard at life. But in any area where one is performing for masses and can be affected by results and ridicule from rivals, mental health is a concern.
62. Life after sports
Some initiatives like the Legends Marathon have come to help athletes find better things to do after their sports careers. But it will take years of advocacy and practical solutions to undo the effects of the past 60+ years where athletes were left to find the next step of life on their own.
63. Society mindset
Everything arguably starts and falls with our mindset as a society. The repealed law spent 59 years describing sport as amateur and recreational. That stuck in the minds of parents while the rest of the world built sport into nearly a trillion dollar industry.
We are left with players that treat league competitions as a relaxation avenue.
Female participation is low because they are discouraged from “being like boys” and attrition is high at teen age.
As we celebrate 63 years of Independence, the growth of sport in Uganda is unmistakable but there are sticking issues that we need to resolve to become a sporting giant.