Why the Uganda-Kenya rivalry is fierce

Apr 22, 2012

One of those things that stands out in this part of Africa, is the sports rivalry between Kenya and Uganda.Talk of an encounter between the two nations and the pulse of entire populations suddenly shoots up.

By James Bakama

One of those things that stands out in this part of Africa, is the sports rivalry between Kenya and Uganda.

Talk of an encounter between the two nations and the pulse of entire populations suddenly shoots up.

Beyond sports, they have also had their clashes, the most recent being one over a small island in Lake Victoria.

It is a tale of close battles stretching far back to 1926 in what was then called the Gossage Cup. The two nations would come to standstill as their soccer sides battled in home and away encounters.

The rivalry has since stretched to other disciplines. Rugby is no exception. Kenya holds a clear edge in its head-to-head encounters with its neighbours, but even then, whenever the two nations meet, there is a surge of adrenalin.

This year’s Elgon Cup is a classic example. The anxiety was underlined by the immense media coverage. For the past fortnight, the match has been a back page lead.

The vast Kenya community in Kampala has further heightened the excitement. "With this kind of support we shall definitely not be very far away from home," an official of Kenya's national rugby side observed.

But if you thought the sparks are more in rugby, then you are mistaken. The decisive Nations Cup match between the Cranes and Harambee Stars is a classic example. Kenya was clearly out of contention. But for the sake of fulfilling its status as an arch-rival, it played the match of its life.

At the end of the day, Uganda failed to get that priceless win that would have had the Cranes making a historic return to the continental finals after a 33-year absence.

In the seventies, footballers like Denis Obua and Jonathan Niva felt soccer alone wouldn't settle the score. They opted to settle it out with fists.

Kenya Broadcasting Corporation commentator Leonard Mambo Mbotela was there to capture the drama with a moving "boxing" commentary. Obua emerged victor having broken Niva's jaw, but for that he earned a red card.

In 1982, Harambee Stars skipper John Bobby Ogola, could not sit back and let the Cranes win the CECAFA Senior Challenge Cup in Kampala. In a tense final, a seriously injured Ogola, chose to "die" for his country by battling with a bandaged head to the trophy.

One of the things that pushed athlete Moses Kipsiro to the limit in his historic runs to two Commonwealth gold medals at the 2010 New Delhi games, was the fact that he was up against Kenyans. "It was a golden opportunity for me to show the Kenyans that Ugandans could also beat them in the long races," said Kipsiro, who was rewarded with sh20m and a grand party by President Yoweri Museveni.

So, why the rivalry?

Former national boxer David Kawuzi Kyambadde likens this race for supremacy to sibling pressure. He explains that with both countries having been under the British and having got independence at almost the same time, there was always bound to be this competition.

The rivalry was also stiffened by Geographical and Social closeness. The two nations know each other so well that springing off a surprise is almost impossible. This, tightens the rivalry.

It's this closeness that has had numerous Ugandans not only working in Kenya, but also eventually settling there. The reverse is also true. That's the reason why some of Uganda's best sportsmes like Phillip Omondi, Timothy Ayeko and Billy Kosgei were actually originated from Kenya.

There are also reports that some of the best Kenya athletes are actually Ugandans, who chose to cross the border because of better rewards.

What about the case of Aggrey Awori? As he won athletics medals for Uganda, his brother Moody Awori was rising in Kenya's political ranks. He eventually became Vice President.

(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});