Ugandan sports are losing appeal, and we’re adjusting

By Absolom Lubwama

We are learning to live with the fact that Ugandan sports are becoming less appealing each day.It has been years since I last watched a motorsport rally in Uganda. A few days ago, I learned that one was to take place half a kilometer from my home.

The nostalgia of thrills from the days of Munyegera, Jimmy Dean to the days of Kaka, Kuku (Dembe rally team), Emka rally team, and Horizon rally team got the best of me. I got to Kaga trading center, Kajjansi town council, this morning earlier than the rally car drivers with an old mindset of the rally car fans of the 90s and early 2000s.

The Golden Era of Ugandan Motorsport

To my surprise, it was business as usual; some of the residents were not aware of the said rally despite the radio sports program announcements.

Gone are the days when trading centers near the rally venue would run out of beer by 9:00 AM on D-day, food vendors serving half-cooked food due to the high demand, and all versions of trending sports cars struggling for parking space. The allure of girls with bodies of goddesses making men’s heads turn or young men with six packs despite gulping beer like fish does water is also a distant memory.

Technological Advancements

With the advancement of technology in the world, you would expect better organization, advertising, and better cars. Unfortunately, it was not the sound close to Silk Mobile sounds we used to enjoy but rather a village DJ used to playing music at Kwanjula and Binyanyanya for local bar patrons.

You did not get to feel the competition of the past between Emma Katto, Muhangi, Karim, or Chipper Adams. Few could pull Chipper Adam the corner specialist’s stunts or Dare Bukenya “the roll master’s dare in Nissan P10, not even come close to Kiddu’s daredevil tactics in his VW golf. 10. You didn’t get to see Moses Lumala’s speed or Charlie Lubega’s Smile with speed in a Mitsubishi Lancer. The spectators were more people from the nearby villages, few came from far unlike in the past when we used to drive long distances for such rallies. Just 13 miles from Kampala but looked like we were at the end of the world with a road sign ‘”No village ahead”.

Disappointing Performance

Except for a few cars, the rest of the cars sounded like they had been picked from some garage in Ndeeba and were on road test because they kept on breaking down along the closed circuit stretch. Some sounded like they were powered by solar power with low batteries. The motorcycle organizers performed better than their colleagues in the rally cars.

This scene was not far different from Uganda’s premier league matches where stadiums have just a handful of spectators. Ugandan sports seem to no longer appeal to the nationals. Radio and TV presenters give it a few mentions before giving the “expert analysis on European football. Ugandans have since decided to rather dance themselves to stupor at a music battle then run to social media to share their opinion on who performed better. Grab a beer and watch an English premier league like the teams were their village clubs.

The Lost Appeal of Ugandan Sports

It’s no longer the boxing skills of Mugabi ‘the beast, Ouma, or Justin Juuko to keep them glued to TV screens to support their own. After all, the National Netball team, despite their achievements, worked under hard conditions still don’t get enough government funding except for a few social media congratulation messages from leaders and politicians and sometimes a state dinner and photo poses.

It is simple danceable tunes, particularly with meaningless lyrics. Ugandans no longer want anything serious. The jubilation of the sacking of Uganda Cranes’ head coach will be short-lived because the person who will take over will face similar problems. It’s cancer that has eaten up all sports and other sectors of the country that Ugandans have just learned to live with by seeking joy in things far away from home.

The decline of Ugandan sports reflects a broader issue where joy is sought in distant pursuits rather than supporting local talent. This trend is a poignant reminder of the need for revitalization and renewed interest in Ugandan sports to recapture their former glory.