Boxing and athletics remain the golden sports of Uganda. But administrative wrangles have torn apart boxing and as it looked to be getting a new lease of life, war drums have been sounded.
Kibuli Muttajaazi Boxing Club which nominated the new president Moses Muhangi has disowned him.
In a letter addressed to the National council of Sports dated March 19th, Eddie Ssekitoleko, Ramathan Kiraga, Sulaiman Kazibwe, Mubarak Kawooya and Farida Mutajjazi, who claim to the rightful owners of the club, have announced that Muhangi’s nomination was unlawful.
“The club never held an annual general meeting prior to election of Mr Muhangi Moses on January 20, 2018 at Kati Kati to confirm appointment of delegates,” the letter reads in part.
“The purpose of this letter therefore is to implore to exercise your supervisory roles and declare the election of Mr Muhangi Moses as UBF president … not later than seven working days beyond which we shall file appropriate action in a court of law,” the letter drafted by Orima and Company advocates continues.
Justice Lydia Mugambe of the High Court has declared Moses Muhangi the legitimately elected president of the Uganda Boxing Federation (UBF) following a lawsuit filed by former leader Kenneth Gimugu. Justice Mugambe made her declaration was on Wednesday February 28th.
But poor working relations between UBF’s vice president in charge of administration Fred Kavuma and Muhangi’s personal lawyer Philip Munaabi has rubbed affairs the wrong way.
Kavuma said on Wednesday when he accompanied persons that delivered the letter at the National Council of Sports (NCS) that his powers had been usurped. On that very day, Muhangi was meeting boxers at their Kavumba camp.
“I have been sidelined for over a month now and even the events I am supposed to organize, they just invite me,” Kavuma added.
Gimugu inherited a boxing house that was deeply divided by the untimely departure of Roger Ddungu in 2009 when he was forced out by Ntege Ssengendo and Godfrey Nyakana. There followed a time of silence for the game before Gimugu took over following a period of normalization.
Boxing is Uganda’s most successful sport, contributing four of the country’s six Olympic medals.
