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When an ambulance is rushing to save a life, we often think only about the patient inside. Yet behind the wheel sits a driver carrying enormous responsibility, not just for the patient, but for the nurse or medic on board, the patient’s relatives, and every other road user. If that driver is not properly trained, the ambulance itself can become a danger.

Uganda has entered the peak of the political campaign season. All politicians in Uganda will try all they can to purchase an ‘ambulance’ for their constituency all in the name of bringing services closer and hence votes.

Many of these so called ambulances are not specialised vehicles and lack everything to qualify them as ambulances.

To this is the crop of drivers who are randomly picked by the politicians to drive these ambulances. These are close relatives, friends, campaign managers with no specialised training in ambulance driving and management.

Today, Uganda has no sounding laws requiring ambulance drivers to take specialised emergency vehicle training.

Some respected organisations like St John Ambulance, Uganda Red Cross, AA Uganda, Ministry of Health and a few other health facilities train their drivers in advanced driving skills. Their record is strong, with very few crashes reported. But many non-profit ambulances do not have the same standards. This inconsistency puts lives at risk.

In many countries, ambulance drivers must pass an Emergency Vehicle Operator Course (EVOC) before they are allowed to respond to calls.

The course covers: Defensive and high-speed driving, handling large vehicles in traffic and bad weather, safety for patients and medical staff inside the ambulance and all this is tested in rural, highway, and city driving scenarios, fatigue management and decision-making under stress is also tested regularly to keep their skills sharp.

How others do it

United States: Most states require EVOC, with refresher training every one to three years. United Kingdom: Ambulance staff take ‘Blue Light’ training to legally drive with sirens and lights.

Australia and New Zealand: Ambulance driver training is part of national health and vocational systems. Canada: Drivers must hold special licences and complete courses tied to provincial rules. These systems have helped reduce ambulance crashes and improved road safety.

Uganda has the training capacities of AA Uganda , St John Ambulance, Uganda Red Cross which all can run EVOC or similar courses. What is missing is a national law to make this training mandatory for every ambulance driver, whether public, private, or NGO.

A Ugandan EVOC framework should: Require every ambulance driver to pass EVOC before operating. Test drivers in real environments like busy highways, rural roads, at night, and in the rain.

Demand re-testing after stipulated periods. The ministries of Health and that of Works and Transport should work together to gazette regulations and accredit existing training providers.

A phased rollout could start with pilot hospitals then expand nationwide. Yes, training will cost money but the cost of doing nothing is far greater: lost lives, grieving families, and shaken trust in our health system.

Ambulance driving is not ordinary driving. It is dangerous, high-pressure work that requires specialised skill. Uganda has the trainers. Uganda has the examples to learn from. What is needed now is political will.

Ambulance drivers carry the lives of patients, medics and every road user. Without specialised training, ambulances themselves can become a danger.

The public deserves assurance that every driver behind the wheel of an ambulance is fully trained. The ministries of Works and Transport and that of Health should ensure all ambulances in Uganda go through a mandatory vehicle inspection to ascertain their road worthiness.

The same ministries should ensure the ambulances donated by the politicians and other charitable people and organisations meet the specific standards of ambulances.

Lives are at stake both inside and outside these vehicles as it is very common here in Uganda due to the abuse of ambulances. The drivers are fond of using the right of way to abuse other road users , yet in the actual sense they are not responding to an emergency.

Ambulance driving is dangerous, high-responsibility work and it demands strong defensive driving skills and proper training . Lives depend on it inside and outside the vehicle.

David Kamulindwa needs no formal introduction to the golf fraternity in East Africa. If anything, he is relaunching his profile, and in style, after he won the Professionals title at the Entebbe Open presented by Stanbic Bank on Wednesday.

Kamulindwa may have suffered a blip on Day Three on Tuesday but he returned to complete with a comfortable round of two-under 69 to win the 72-hole tournament by six shots.

The man raised in Fort Portal finished on aggregate seven-under 277 with only Tuesday’s six-over 77 seeming odd. ‘Yesterday (Tuesday), I couldn’t feel my body, everything was off, I couldn’t turn and even my putting,’ a happy but calm Kamulindwa said.

‘I wasn’t feeling okay but today, I realized that I had to do my routine,’ he said. ‘I normally jog in the morning. I did a jog and I was feeling okay and that’s how I won, played two-under to win the tournament

This marked his second win of the year, adding to the Watoto Golf tournament at Uganda Golf Club (UGC) in Kitante back in early August.

At the par-71 course in Entebbe, Kamulindwa held a nine-shot lead over the field in the quest for the biggest share of Shs50m after opening rounds of 66 and 65.

Yet a wobble put him just three shots adrift of Grace Kasango after 54 holes. He however turned on the lights again with a closing round of four birdies on Holes par-4 No.3 and the par-5s No.11, No.15 and No.18.

The bogeys on Holes par-4 No.5 and the par-3 Hole No.8 denied Kamulindwa a perfect finish.

‘On No.5, my tee-shot was poor and at No.8, I have been playing short of clubs and I was gambling with a 7-iron yet I needed a 6-iron. Also, the tee-box stones were pulled back after Day One,’ he explained his three straight bogeys on the eighth green.

Kamulindwa is crediting his coaches for the classic show calibrated by 19 birdies and 42 pars. ‘I played regulation golf. My putting is up and down but I got new coaches who are trying to help me.

This is the fourth tournament working with them I have won two, finished third on another and tied seventh at the Uganda Pros Open,’ he added.

He plans to continue his trajectory at Sunshine Development Tour in Nairobi, Kenya so as to close the year competitively.

Kamulindwa finished ahead of Abraham Ainamani who closed with a best round of the day – four-under 67 comprising three birdies and bogey in the last four holes for aggregate one-under 283. ‘It was good,’ said Ainamani

Entebbe’s Herman Deco Mutebi felt reborn after making the cut and he finished rounds of 68 and 70 including 11 straight pars on the final day thereby tying in third on one-over 285 with Grace Kasango and two-time defending champion Rodell Gaita.

STANBIC ENTEBBE OPEN (PROS)

FINAL LEADERBOARD

1 David Kamulindwa 66 65 77 69 277 -7

2 Abraham Ainamani 74 66 76 67 283 -1

T3 Herman Deco Mutebi 73 74 68 70 285 +1

T3 Grace Kasango 70 70 71 74 285 +1

T3 Rodell Gaita 75 70 69 71 285 +1

6 Canary Kabise 78 67 69 74 288 +4

7 Marvin Kibirige 70 72 73 75 290 +6

8 Emma Ogwang 73 72 73 73 291 +7

T9 James Koto 72 75 72 74 293 +9

T9 Vincent Byamukama 69 76 77 71 293 +9

T9 Phillip Kasozi 76 72 71 74 293 +9

T9 Silver Opio 75 68 76 74 293 +9

CAST OF ENTEBBE OPEN WINNERS (PROS)

2024: Rodell Gaita (UGA)

2023: Rodell Gaita (UGA)

2019: Jastas Madoya (KEN)

Even as StarTimes Uganda Premier League clubs remain locked in arguments over Fufa’s reforms, the federation has quietly set the wheels rolling on further changes as they resolved to expand the topflight from 16 to 18 teams next season.

Unlike previous Fufa Big League campaigns, the 2025/26 edition carries a new weight of significance.

For the first time in its history, four clubs will earn direct promotion to the UPL in a move that is tied to Fufa’s sweeping reforms that have stirred heated debates and marred the topflight’s own kickoff.

The Big League rolled out about a fortnight ago but the traditional buzz and drama that usually welcomes its return has been muted and swallowed by the chaos surrounding the UPL opener. Yet in the shadows of the wrangles, the second tier is contributing to further reforms.

Under the new Fufa Competitions Rules 2025, the UPL will expand from 16 to 18 clubs next season. That will happen through the relegation of only two teams from the current topflight that comprises 16 to leave 14 to add on four clubs that will be promoted from the Big League to fill up the expanded slots.

Rule 17 that guides on ‘promotion and relegation’ now provides that ‘four clubs from the 2nd Division League shall be eligible for Fufa Club Licensing for the 1st Division League for the following season.’

That means this year’s Big League promotion race will be more crowded and cut-throat, offering new lifelines for ambitious teams while intensifying the fight for survival in the contested new format in the topflight.

The changes come amid wider restructuring across Ugandan football. The third division promotional system has been maintained with the regional playoff duels pitting regional winners from Buganda against Kampala, Kitara against Western, West Nile against Northern and North East against Eastern. The Big League’s overall format has been maintained, only expanding its promotion quota.

With the debates over the new reforms raging on, the expansion to 18 teams could spark questions about sustainability and finances in a league already grappling with logistical challenges.

New faces, old wounds

Four fresh sides including Iganga United, Nebbi Central, Bunyagururu United and Catda have joined after navigating the third division playoffs. They are joined by familiar faces in Bright Stars, Mbale Heroes and Wakiso Giants, who were relegated from the topflight last season.

And after just two matchdays, newcomers Bunyagururu and Nebbi Central have wasted no time announcing themselves, sitting top of the standings with six and four points respectively. Wakiso Giants and Black Powers, meanwhile are already trailing closely behind.

FUFA BIG LEAGUE

Results

Nebbi Central 4-1 Iganga United

Soltilo Bright Stars 2-2 Catda

Kigezi Homeboyz 1-1 Kaaro Karungi

Mbale Heroes 1-0 Paidha Black Angels

Kiyinda Boys 0-2 Wakiso Giants

Onduparaka 1-0 Iganga United

Bunyaruguru United 1-0 Kataka

As Uganda approaches the 2026 General Election, now is the best time to examine the performance of the 556 Members of Parliament (MPs) in the 11th Parliament, inaugurated in 2021.

As representatives of the over 51.4 million Ugandans, the MPs have the mandate to amplify the voices of the citizens, advocate for development and exercise accountability.

Nonetheless, matters related to their performance, competence levels, and house size are an affirmation of the need to reform.

The 1995 Constitution vests MPs with key responsibilities: legislating to advance government and development, representing constituents by raising their issues; scrutinizing the National Budget and investigating abuse of public resources, for instance by committees such as the Public Accounts Committee (PAC), and holding the Judiciary and Executive to account, as illustrated by, for example calls for an Auditor General’s report on sports funding in the aftermath of the Uganda Cranes’ 2024 Chan campaign.

The 11th Parliament has gained some points, including a bipartisan agreement to adopt 2025 Rules of Procedure aiming to streamline proceeding.

However, a 2024 Afrobarometer survey finds 49 percent of the population is satisfied by the MPs’ performance. Some of the respondents accused the MPs of corruption (47 percent believe “most” or “all” MPs are corrupt vs 25 percent in 2005).

Just 15 percent of the respondents said MPs listen “often”, although only 17 percent interact with them every year. Scandals especially those involving MPs diminish people’s confidence in their representatives. MPs earn more than Shs35 million a month, plus other perks.

Yet in a 2024 scorecard on Parliament by Africa Leadership Institute, they remarked lower than average MP plenary attendance, at 60 percent. With 556 MPs-one per 92,000 citizens-the House is among Africa’s largest, with the cost of maintaining such a large number of legislators rising from Shs673 billion (2020/2021) to Shs979 billion (2024/2025).

A 2025 Constitutional Court ruling deemed some constituencies unconstitutional. While some argue the size ensures effective representation (34 percent women MPs), critics highlight stalled projects. Competence is debated: despite expertise, low attendance and party-line voting persist.

A 2025 IGAD dialogue praised women MPs for advancing land rights, yet 75 percent want the President accountable to Parliament, although 42 percent say he ignores it.

Representation is uneven-58 percent view elections as reflecting voter will, but 48 percent feel neglected post-elections, with 41 percent of MP budgets spent on social contributions like funerals.

Lastly, MPs must revive Parliament with dedication to monitoring, representation, and ability to serve the people above personal interest.

Citizens must vote wisely, removing underperforming MPs by scorecards and push for reforms like term limits on non-performers. With 92,000+ citizens per MP, the task is daunting, but underperformance cannot be tolerated.

As 2026 approaches, a streamlined and efficient Parliament can realise prosperity so that no MP departs without leaving something behind. Uganda does not deserve any less.

In the rare moments between exhaustion and sleep, Agnes Mirembe’s mind does not wander to dreams of a future, but retreats to the ghosts of a past filled with sacrificed opportunities. The journey that led her to a sprawling mansion in Saudi Arabia, where she now works 21 hours a day, began not at an airport, but in Uganda, where her mother fought a daily, losing battle against poverty.

For Mirembe, the dream of a university education was not just deferred; it was willingly offered on the altar of family duty. After completing her Senior Six, she looked at her younger siblings and her mother’s weary face and knew her own academic ambitions would have to end. Her mother, a single parent of five, was a force of nature, vending charcoal and fish in a precarious informal economy.

That lifeline was repeatedly severed by forces beyond their control.

“Our mother was once arrested for selling premature fish,” Mirembe revisits her sour past. The arrest was part of a broader, national crackdown on illegal fishing, a policy that, while ecologically motivated, devastated the livelihoods of countless small-scale vendors like her mother.

Forced to adapt, her mother pivoted to charcoal vending, only to face a new wave of arrests from the National Environment Management Authority (Nema) targeting the charcoal trade. Though she survived this round by being a vendor rather than a burner, the economic viability of the business collapsed. It was this cascade of despair that planted the seed of a desperate solution of leaving Uganda to find work in the Middle East.

The first exodus

Around 2010, her mother made the heart-wrenching decision to leave for Kuwait. This was a time when travel to Saudi Arabia for Ugandan maids was illegal, and the shadow of human trafficking loomed large over the entire migration process. Mirembe, young but acutely aware of the family’s plight, begged to go along, to share the burden. Her mother was adamant in her refusal, shielding her daughter from a fate she herself was about to endure.

‘My mother processed her travel documents, and left for Kuwait,’ Mirembe says, noting the clandestine route through Kenya. The mother’s sacrifice bore fruit. From Kuwait, her remittances became the family’s new lifeline, educating the younger siblings and even allowing Mirembe to secure a certificate in tailoring. For a fleeting moment, a path forward seemed to appear. But then, life delivered a different script.

Mirembe had her first child in 2014, and a second a year later. The news of her pregnancies shattered the fragile understanding with her mother, who saw Mirembe’s choices as a squandering of her own immense sacrifice. The promise of further education was withdrawn, and Mirembe watched her chances for a better future “go down the drain.”

The second exodus

Now a mother herself, Mirembe found herself trapped in a familiar narrative of struggle.

‘My children’s father did not take care of his children financially, and I had to work tirelessly to cater for their needs,’ she states.

Her partner’s abandonment left her with no safety net. Faced with the prospect of watching her own children grow up in the same poverty she knew, she made the same calculated decision her mother had years before. She would go to the Gulf.

The process of leaving was a gauntlet of exploitation. She registered with more than six different recruitment agencies, each one a lesson in deception.

‘Some companies closed before completing my travel documents, while others kept on postponing the dates,’ she explains. She experienced first-hand the false advertising that preys on the desperate; promises of free travel and accommodation that evaporated into demands for payment at every turn. In August 2021, amidst the Covid-19 pandemic, she finally boarded a flight to Saudi Arabia.

A harsh reality

After a week in quarantine, the moment of meeting her employers arrived. When she saw the three-storey mansion, a spark of optimism ignited.

“I thought it would be a bed of roses,” she admits, perhaps imagining a comfortable workplace with shared responsibilities.

“To my shock, I was informed that I would have to clean the three-floored mansion alone!”

The sheer scale of the task was paralysing. Coming from a three-room house in Uganda, the mansion was not a symbol of luxury, but an immense, daunting territory she was tasked to conquer single-handedly each day. The cultural and practical disconnect was immediate and profound. Her employers, she soon realised, operated under the assumption that Ugandan maids received comprehensive training in Saudi customs, language, and advanced housekeeping.

‘The training received at the labour agencies in Uganda is too parallel to what they see on ground,’ Mirembe clarifies.

While agencies in Uganda had confiscated phones to ensure focus, the reality was a chaotic introduction to high-tech appliances and chemical detergents that her skin and eyes reacted to violently. In these moments, her phone became a secret weapon; she would use Google to translate Arabic instructions or learn how to operate a strange machine, and when that failed, she would feign ignorance to elicit a demonstration from her employers.

Betrayal from home

Perhaps the most devastating blow came not from her employers, but from her homeland. In a decision she now regrets, she had left her children in the care of their father, hoping that proximity would awaken his paternal responsibility. The reality was a cruel betrayal.

‘That man called me to buy underwear for our children and exaggerated the prices for everything,’ she recalls. He provided only the most basic shelter, treating his own children ‘like squatters,’ while his calls became a relentless drain on her finances and mental peace.

He operated under the common misconception that all who work abroad are swimming in wealth. The stress became unbearable, affecting her focus at work and nearly costing her the job. Finally, she reclaimed what little control she could, moving her children to live with a relative. ‘What was the purpose of leaving my children in his care when he could not afford an ordinary pencil?’ She wonders.

This is not a life but a cycle of relentless labour punctuated by brief, insufficient periods of unconsciousness. The dream of education, of a career beyond domestic servitude, has been completely extinguished. All her mental and emotional energy is now channeled into a single, all-consuming goal; ensuring her children do not have to make the same sacrifices she did.

The unending grind

Now in her second contract, the financial pressures have only multiplied. While her salary is higher, it is instantly devoured by the rising cost of living in Uganda, the school fees for her two children, the support for her younger siblings’ education, and contributions to the family house construction.

The cost of this income is her entire being. The workload has escalated dramatically, demanding she clean three-quarters of the massive house.

‘The chores are overwhelming, but I bear everything because of my children,’ she confesses, her voice breaking. Her day is a brutal marathon.

‘My night time is the three or four hours that I use to rest, and then continue slaving off.’

The Rugby Uganda Cup makes its long-awaited return on October 18, bringing back the country’s premier knockout rugby competition after a year’s hiatus. But while excitement builds across the rugby fraternity, all eyes are on Jinja’s Hippos who left nasty memories at the just-concluded National Sevens with their wrangles.

While everything seemed to have been solved or at least a path laid for that process, the bitter struggle between club chairman Joshua Wakabi and former chairman Jonan Manzi now threatens to split the club into two.

The dispute, simmering for months, erupted during the Sevens opener at Kyadondo, where rival factions fielded separate teams. URU intervened and allowed Manzi’s side to bring in Rwandan players to complete their lineup.

Efforts to mediate led by youth minister Balaam Barugahara produced a memorandum of understanding where Wakabi was maintained as chairman while Manzi took charge of a constitutional review committee with Wakabi serving as secretary.

Yet the truce has quickly collapsed ahead of the Uganda Cup. Wakabi, vice-chair Joab Tamiti and treasurer Kenneth Byamukama resigned this week with their associates accusing Manzi of blocking the review process due to disputes reportedly fueled by control of the club’s social media accounts. The turmoil has unsettled players, with some reportedly considering departures ahead of the new season.

Format maintained

The 2025 Uganda Cup returns will continue with the new format introduced in 2023. There will be 20 men’s teams divided into four groups while the women’s tournament features two groups, with the top two advancing to the quarterfinals and semifinals respectively.

Defending men’s winners Heathens headline Group D alongside Impis, Elgon Wolves, Victoria University and Lira Bulls, while Hippos are in Group B with Rhinos, Warriors, Gulu City Falcons and Njeru Hurricanes. Group A features Pirates, Walukuba, Mongers, Kigezi Silverbacks and Rams, and Group C includes Kobs, Buffaloes, Kyambogo, Kakira Simbas and Fort Portal Tyrants.

In the women’s competition, holders Nile Rapids whose title defense entirely depends on Hippos’ situation lead Group A with Thunderbirds, Panthers and Mbale Eagles, while Group B features Avengers, Ewes, She Wolves and Kigezi Queens.

2025 Uganda Cup – Groups

Men

Group A: Pirates, Walukuba, Mongers, Kigezi Silverbacks, Rams

Group B: Hippos, Rhinos, Warriors, Gulu City Falcons, Njeru Hurricanes

Group C: KOBs, Buffaloes, Kyambogo, Kakira Simbas, Fort Portal Tyrants

Group D: Heathens, Victoria, Elgon Wolves, Impis, Lira Bulls

Women

Group A: Thunderbirds, Nile Rapids, Panthers, Mbale Eagles

Group B: Avengers, Ewes, She Wolves, Kigezi Queens

Kickoff: October 18

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.

For the first time in over a decade, the Masaza Cup final will return to the heart of Kampala. Nakivubo War Memorial Stadium, newly refurbished and recommissioned by President Yoweri Museveni on April 25, 2024, has officially been confirmed as the host venue for the 2025 Masaza Cup final. Kyaggwe, Buweekula, Bugerere and Ssingo will play in this year’s final showdown at Nakivubo after reaching the semifinals over the weekend.

This announcement came after a comprehensive inspection tour on Monday by Buganda Kingdom’s Minister for Sports, Youth and Arts, Robert Sserwanga, who expressed his delight at the stadium’s readiness.

‘Seeing Nakivubo bounce back as a top-tier facility is exciting for everyone who loves the game. It holds a lot of history for the Masaza Cup, and we are thrilled to bring the final back here where so many great memories were made,” Sserwanga said.

The iconic stadium last hosted the Masaza Cup final in 2013, a match in which Mawokota edged Ssingo 1-0 thanks to a late winner by future Uganda Cranes star Farouk Miya. Since then, the final has rotated among Wankulukuku, Namboole and St. Mary’s Stadium Kitende.

Tickets Go Digital

Sserwanga also confirmed that online ticket sales will begun on October 8. Early bird tickets are priced at Shs25,000 for ordinary seating and Shs40,000 for VIP. From October 20, ordinary tickets will rise to Shs30,000, VIP to Shs50,000, while VVIP tickets- which grant access to the lavish executive boxes equipped with personal TV screens – will be available at Shs150,000.

‘We urge fans to embrace the convenience of online ticketing early Nakivubo’s revamped structure means reduced seating capacity compared to the past. With a cap at 35,000, tickets will be limited, so don’t wait till the last minute,’ Sserwanga added.

In contrast, Namboole Stadium, the most frequent host of the final over the past decade, currently accommodates 38,000 fans. Past finals at Namboole have consistently seen crowds surpassing normal capacity.

The return of the final to Nakivubo is not just symbolic, but a significant nod to the stadium’s rich heritage. Built as a memorial to Ugandan soldiers and positioned at the very centre of Kampala, Nakivubo now offers a modern football experience with enhanced seating, security and hospitality options – particularly in its VVIP section, considered the most glamorous in Uganda.

The 2025 Masaza Cup final is expected to draw nationwide attention, not only because of the venue change but also due to the strength of its corporate backing. The tournament is sponsored by Airtel, Pilsner King, Plascon, Nirvana, Centenary Bank, as well as Uganda Aids Commission and UNAIDS, who continue to support the kingdom’s efforts in promoting youth development and health awareness through sport.

Masaza Cup 2025

Semifinals – Oct. 11, 2025

Kyaggwe vs Buweekula

Ssingo vs Bugerere

Masaza Cup final host venues

2025: Nakivubo

2024: Namboole

2023: Wankulukuku

2022: Wankulukuku

2021: Kitende

2020: Kitende

2019: Namboole

2017: Namboole

2016: Namboole

2015: Namboole

2014: Wankulukuku

2013: Nakivubo

2012: Nakivubo