Ugandan boxers host rivals abroad amid sports governance crisis

In July 2023, Vision Sport ran the headline: "Uganda to Host Rwanda in Kigali"—a paradox that captured the reality of Uganda's sports infrastructure challenges.

Back then, the Crested Cranes, Uganda's national women’s football team, were forced to host Rwanda’s She Wasps (also known as the She-Amavubi) in Kigali during an Olympic qualifier due to the lack of a FIFA-certified stadium in Uganda.

This Saturday, a similar scenario unfolds—this time in the boxing ring. Ugandan professional boxers will "host" their Kenyan and Tanzanian counterparts in Nairobi, marking the first such occurrence since professional boxing began in Uganda in 1988.

While the Crested Cranes’ relocation stemmed from the renovation of Mandela National Stadium (Namboole) and the incomplete Hamz Stadium, the boxing event's foreign venue is a result of an ongoing administrative conflict rooted in the 2023 National Sports Act.

Under Section 16(1)(d) of the new law, only one sports federation is permitted to govern both amateur and professional branches of any sport. This legislation has deepened the long-standing rift between the Uganda Boxing Federation (UBF) and the Uganda Professional Boxing Commission (UPBC). With a compliance deadline set for June 20, 2025, the UBF appears poised to take full control, leaving UPBC-aligned promoters in limbo.

In response, a group of boxing promoters loyal to UPBC have shifted their base of operations from Uganda to Kenya.

Leading the exodus is renowned Ugandan promoter Stephen Sembuya of 12 Sports Rounds, who will host an international fight night dubbed “Hakuna Mchezo” this Saturday at Charter Hall in Nairobi.

The event features a lineup of high-profile bouts, including:

Henry Kasujja "Stopper"—adopted son of former world champion Kasim Ouma—who will face Tanzania’s Mussa Shuza in an eight-round super welterweight main event.

Owen Kibira, a national team debutant fresh from leaving The Bombers, who will fight Tanzania’s Abdallah Yoba in another super welterweight clash.

Knockout artist Abdul Njego in a light heavyweight showdown with former Africa Boxing Union (ABU) champion Ally Hamisi Mzee.

Isaac Zebra Ssenyange Jr squaring off with Ibrahim Kitaka, also in the super welterweight division.

According to Sembuya, the move to Kenya is a direct result of mounting frustrations and instability in Uganda’s professional boxing scene.

“We can’t operate in the chaotic environment that now surrounds professional boxing in Uganda,” said Sembuya, who is currently based in the U.S. “We’ve secured a promotion license in Kenya, which gives us the freedom to grow the sport and our fighters to the level they deserve.”

Despite the high costs—organizing an event in Kenya requires an investment of UGX 50–60 million, compared to UGX 25–35 million in Uganda—Sembuya is committed to making the sacrifice for the long-term development of the sport.

Meanwhile, the UBF, through a 2022 amendment to its constitution, established the UBF Professional Boxing Licensing Committee, effectively claiming control over professional boxing and signaling the replacement of UPBC in line with the new sports law.

As Ugandan boxing navigates this critical juncture, one thing is clear: the fight is no longer just in the ring—it's in the boardroom too.