By Moses Muhangi
Uganda has a total of 35 qualified athletes that will represent her in the upcoming Tokyo 2020 Olympics in Japan between 23rd July – 8th August 2021.
Where as Uganda has over 30 Olympic sports federations, these athletes were qualified through the following sports federations or associations and thats is to say; Uganda Boxing Federation, Uganda Swimming Federation, Uganda Rowing Federation, Uganda Athletics Federation and the Para Olympics Association
Regardless of the challenges marjorly to do with funding team preparation, poor coordination amongst the key stakeholders etc leading to the qualification to Olympics games, Muhangi (Moses) and team have since kept boxing or the Bombers (national team boxers) in main stream media to the extent that one can think or assume that there is only one team that has qualified for the Olympics from uganda and that’s the bombers team.
Muhangi and team have evoked all sorts of geurilla marketing tools ranging from staging or enhancing political controversies, uprisings within the media fraternity etc, all geared to dominating the Olympic qualification space for the bombers.
Now the three bombers (Musa Shadir Bwogi (Captain) – 69kg, David Ssemujju – 75kg and Catherine Nanziri – 49kg) that qualified are almost known to every Ugandan by name and physical presence which you will find lacking to all the other athletes that have Qualified for the Olympics.
Every federation’s dream is to seize opportunities whenever they prevail, during this Olympics season an opportunity was provided. For any federation to occupy and maximise it and in Uganda, it has been the Uganda Boxing Federation.
These underhand, direct or indirect geurilla marketing skills are unique to the person of Uganda Boxing President – Muhangi Moses since his assumption of UBF leadership in 2018, many have misunderstood him, many have collided with him but what matters most are the results and in this case the result is to keep the sport of boxing on the lips of every Ugandan during this Olympic season and beyond regardless of the outcome from the Olympics in terms of medal tallies
Lastly, the platform or the environment has been created for the Olympic bombers to kick-start their further boxing careers given the pomp created by the uganda boxing federation.
It is now going to take alot if individual effort on the side of the athletes or the boxers to determine on how they progress during this time and after the Olympics.
It’s on them to be critical as they pick on their management teams as some might wish to turn professional or whatever.
The country is still hungry for boxing athletes to fit in the shoes of boxing icons such as the late
Zebra Mando Isaac Senyange, Nyakana Godfrey, Justin Juukos, John Beast Mugabi, Bozza Edwards etc.
I salute you all!
The writer is the President of the Uganda Boxing Federation.
