TRIBUTE: Nyangweso is a real iron-man
UGANDA would probably have had a President Francis Nyangweso. But it never came to pass as the decorated army general instead became president of the Uganda Olympic Committee.
By JAMES BAKAMA
UGANDA would probably have had a President Francis Nyangweso. But it never came to pass as the decorated army general instead became president of the Uganda Olympic Committee.
In 1975 while on a holiday, then Ugandan head of state Iddi Amin delegated his presidential powers to then army commander Nyangweso.
If Amin was to die or suffer serious injuries at that time, then Nyangweso would have definitely taken charge as the fourth president of the Republic of Uganda.
But much as Nyangweso did not make it to State House, he still rose to the top elsewhere. He made it to the helm of Uganda’s most powerful sports body-the Uganda Olympic Committee.
His 30-year reign at UOC started the same year Idd Amin was overthrown in 1979. The two incidents were a turning point for Nyangweso, who is reported to have by that time fallen out with dictator.
Knocks off assassins
Stories are told of efforts by Amin to get rid of Nyangweso. The Sandhurst trained general is said to have on many occasions knocked off assassins sent to execute him. The animosity resulted in Nyangweso being deployed as an ambassador to the Central African Republic.
Nyangweso took the back seat in subsequent governments preferring to immerse himself in sports and private business.
But even in sports the general in Nyangweso always stood out. His reign is not only remembered for the John Mugabi and Davis Kamoga Olympic medals, but also his iron fisted governance.
“When he took a decision he never back slid. He also expected his orders to be respected. This strictness is the reason he stayed at the top for long,†recounts Dr. Ntege Ssengendo, who first met Nyangweso in 1959 at Namilyango College.
The same qualities probably explain Nyangweso’s rise to the International Olympic Committee and the International Amateur Boxing Association.
Ill-health creeps in
But at turn of the last decade Nyangweso started battling with diabetes. He developed a sight problem and in the process started losing grip of UOC. At the 2008 Beijing Olympics he had to be rushed back to Uganda seriously ill. He later admitted in Kampala.
By the time he lost a vote to his vice president Roger Ddungu, he had delegated most of his powers to his treasurer Salim Musoke. He was by last year on dialysis and appealing to government for medical assistance. One of his legs was later amputated.
But even towards his last moments, the fighter in Nyangweso was still evident. He not only made it to UOC’s assembly on Saturday, but also contributed.
His input included a defense on allegations that his executive had squandered $100,000 (sh230m) sent for Commonwealth Games preparations. Speaking in a faint voice Nyangweso explained that the money was tagged to training projects.
Nyangweso might have ceased being UOC boss two years ago but even then, one thing was clearly evident. The general still held a spell over the Olympic body.
This was evident the moment he was wheeled into the Grand Imperial Hotel assembly hall. The room suddenly went silent. There was even more silence when he was given a microphone to speak.
When he was later given the long service award, everyone stood up in salute. Nyangweso smiled in response. The smile seemed to say that it was good to be honoured while alive. Most Ugandans are credited posthumously.
FAMILY
Was Married with children
EDUCATION
Namilyango College, Banking school, Military Academy (UK) (1963), Infantry School (1965)
CAREER
Former banker; course director of administration; military chief of staff, Commander General of the armed forces; Minister of Defense; Minister of Culture, Community Development, Youth and Sports; Ambassador; Chief of Protocol at the Foreign Office; Vice-Chairman, National Chamber of Commerce, Kampala; Executive Director of a property and motor firm
SPORTS PRACTISED
Boxing, football, tennis, volleyball
SPORTS CAREER
National Boxing Team Captain (1958-1962); gold medal at the Hapoel Games (1961); East African Champion (1955-1962); bronze medalist at the Commonwealth Games in Perth (1962); participant at the Games of the XVII Olympiad in Rome (1960)
SPORTS ADMINISTRATION
Boxing team manager at the Games of the XIX Olympiad in Mexico City in 1968; Chairman of the National Council of sports (1970-1975, 1987-1992); founder and President of National Armed Forces Sports Federation (1967-1972); Chef de Mission at the Games in Munich in 1972 and Moscow in 1980; President of the National Boxing Federation (1967-1972, 1979-1995); President of the African Boxing Confederation (1974-1978) then Honorary President (1995); Executive Board member of the International Amateur Boxing Association (AIBA) (1981-1986) then Vice-President (1986-2006); Chairman of the CISM World Championships in Jinja (Uganda) (1984); President AIBA Africa Bureau (1988-2006); Vice President of the ANOCA (1989-1999) then President (1999-2001); member of the ANOC Executive Board (1986-1989); ANOC Vice-President (1999-2001); member of the ANOC Sports Venues Commission; President of the NOC (1981-2009)
AWARDS AND DISTINCTIONS
Medals of Honour of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea and Saudi Arabia; Commander’s Medal of Togo; ANOC Founder Member Award
IOC HISTORY
Member of the following Commissions: Culture and Olympic Education (1988-), Olympic Solidarity (as ANOC Vice-President, 2000-2001).
Compiled by James Bakama
UGANDA would probably have had a President Francis Nyangweso. But it never came to pass as the decorated army general instead became president of the Uganda Olympic Committee.
In 1975 while on a holiday, then Ugandan head of state Iddi Amin delegated his presidential powers to then army commander Nyangweso.
If Amin was to die or suffer serious injuries at that time, then Nyangweso would have definitely taken charge as the fourth president of the Republic of Uganda.
But much as Nyangweso did not make it to State House, he still rose to the top elsewhere. He made it to the helm of Uganda’s most powerful sports body-the Uganda Olympic Committee.
His 30-year reign at UOC started the same year Idd Amin was overthrown in 1979. The two incidents were a turning point for Nyangweso, who is reported to have by that time fallen out with dictator.
Knocks off assassins
Stories are told of efforts by Amin to get rid of Nyangweso. The Sandhurst trained general is said to have on many occasions knocked off assassins sent to execute him. The animosity resulted in Nyangweso being deployed as an ambassador to the Central African Republic.
Nyangweso took the back seat in subsequent governments preferring to immerse himself in sports and private business.
But even in sports the general in Nyangweso always stood out. His reign is not only remembered for the John Mugabi and Davis Kamoga Olympic medals, but also his iron fisted governance.
“When he took a decision he never back slid. He also expected his orders to be respected. This strictness is the reason he stayed at the top for long,†recounts Dr. Ntege Ssengendo, who first met Nyangweso in 1959 at Namilyango College.
The same qualities probably explain Nyangweso’s rise to the International Olympic Committee and the International Amateur Boxing Association.
Ill-health creeps in
But at turn of the last decade Nyangweso started battling with diabetes. He developed a sight problem and in the process started losing grip of UOC. At the 2008 Beijing Olympics he had to be rushed back to Uganda seriously ill. He later admitted in Kampala.
By the time he lost a vote to his vice president Roger Ddungu, he had delegated most of his powers to his treasurer Salim Musoke. He was by last year on dialysis and appealing to government for medical assistance. One of his legs was later amputated.
But even towards his last moments, the fighter in Nyangweso was still evident. He not only made it to UOC’s assembly on Saturday, but also contributed.
His input included a defense on allegations that his executive had squandered $100,000 (sh230m) sent for Commonwealth Games preparations. Speaking in a faint voice Nyangweso explained that the money was tagged to training projects.
Nyangweso might have ceased being UOC boss two years ago but even then, one thing was clearly evident. The general still held a spell over the Olympic body.
This was evident the moment he was wheeled into the Grand Imperial Hotel assembly hall. The room suddenly went silent. There was even more silence when he was given a microphone to speak.
When he was later given the long service award, everyone stood up in salute. Nyangweso smiled in response. The smile seemed to say that it was good to be honoured while alive. Most Ugandans are credited posthumously.
FAMILY
Was Married with children
EDUCATION
Namilyango College, Banking school, Military Academy (UK) (1963), Infantry School (1965)
CAREER
Former banker; course director of administration; military chief of staff, Commander General of the armed forces; Minister of Defense; Minister of Culture, Community Development, Youth and Sports; Ambassador; Chief of Protocol at the Foreign Office; Vice-Chairman, National Chamber of Commerce, Kampala; Executive Director of a property and motor firm
SPORTS PRACTISED
Boxing, football, tennis, volleyball
SPORTS CAREER
National Boxing Team Captain (1958-1962); gold medal at the Hapoel Games (1961); East African Champion (1955-1962); bronze medalist at the Commonwealth Games in Perth (1962); participant at the Games of the XVII Olympiad in Rome (1960)
SPORTS ADMINISTRATION
Boxing team manager at the Games of the XIX Olympiad in Mexico City in 1968; Chairman of the National Council of sports (1970-1975, 1987-1992); founder and President of National Armed Forces Sports Federation (1967-1972); Chef de Mission at the Games in Munich in 1972 and Moscow in 1980; President of the National Boxing Federation (1967-1972, 1979-1995); President of the African Boxing Confederation (1974-1978) then Honorary President (1995); Executive Board member of the International Amateur Boxing Association (AIBA) (1981-1986) then Vice-President (1986-2006); Chairman of the CISM World Championships in Jinja (Uganda) (1984); President AIBA Africa Bureau (1988-2006); Vice President of the ANOCA (1989-1999) then President (1999-2001); member of the ANOC Executive Board (1986-1989); ANOC Vice-President (1999-2001); member of the ANOC Sports Venues Commission; President of the NOC (1981-2009)
AWARDS AND DISTINCTIONS
Medals of Honour of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea and Saudi Arabia; Commander’s Medal of Togo; ANOC Founder Member Award
IOC HISTORY
Member of the following Commissions: Culture and Olympic Education (1988-), Olympic Solidarity (as ANOC Vice-President, 2000-2001).
Compiled by James Bakama