Moses Muhangi is set to start his second term as Uganda Boxing Federation (UBF) President on Saturday, 5th February 2022 during the federation’s elective General Assembly in Kampala.
Ahead of polls, Muhangi and several others are unopposed and the incumbent has vowed to hit the ground running in his second stint at the helm of the game and his work in the new term will mainly revolve around six key areas and the like.
According to Muhangi, his areas of focus for the next four years will be; local boxing development, commercialization of the game, establishing countrywide boxing functioning structures, attaining international boxing excellence, turning boxing into a cash cow for the stakeholders involved and turning boxing into a lifestyle for Ugandans.
“Local boxing development is one of the areas we need to really focus on because we need to grow local content of the game. We already began this journey by introducing the Champions League,” Muhangi said in an exclusive interview recently adding that; “we need more local competitions so that boxing is present on ground, communities, districts and everyone feels the game.”
On commercialization of the game, Muhangi says that boxing needs to become a commercial brand that can generate it’s own resources locally because right now they depend so much on government support.
“To achieve this more local competitions will be introduced to attract sponsors,” Muhangi noted adding that the Champions League is laying a blue print on the commercialization of the game.
On establishing countrywide boxing structures that are really functioning, Muhangi says that this is very possible because the constitution now allows him to appoint co-ordinators in the countryside hence that way establishing structures across the nation will be possible. These structures will enhance grassroots development including in schools.
On international boxing excellence, Muhangi already prides in having sent athletes to the Tokyo 2020 Olympics and having picked silverware at other engagements outside the country but he however wants more.
“We shall continue endeavoring to win medals for the country at various international events we go to,” Muhangi noted adding that boxing excellence will revolve around winning medals and ensuring boxers turn professional so that they can make a killing for themselves.
ln regards to turning boxing into a cash cow, Muhangi says all those involved in the game should start earning from it and make a living out of it. Avenues to attain this are already in place and more will be created.
The other major objective is turning boxing into a lifestyle for all Ugandans especially those based in urban areas where equipment and gear is much accessible.
“Everyone who thinks of being fit should think boxing. Every person who has a gym bag should have boxing gloves,” Muhangi said adding that the sport is already a lifestyle in some urban setting as most corporates and the like are already involved in it as they use punching bags in the gym.
With a task ahead of him greater than that which rested upon his inaugural term that was partly disrupted by internal challenges and Covid-19, Muhangi has however reflected on some of his achievements.
Muhangi’s scorecard comprises; reinstating the image of the game, establishing a Secretariat, structures development, securing partnerships, the Champions League which is so far the federation’s number one commercial product, partnership with government and other institutions, athletes engagement at top notch events including Olympics among many others.
However, challenges facing the sport according to Muhangi include the funding problem, internal wrangles within boxing, lack of facilities, Covid-19 disruptions and the like.
However, for the elective General Assembly, Simon Barigo will be affirmed as the UBF General Secretary for a fourth term as he is also unopposed.
Other executive members who have returned unopposed are UBF treasurer Richard Muhumuza and Rose Kabwama, the head of women affairs.
