National motorsport season faces challenges ahead of 2026 kickoff

The national motorsport season is set to begin from February 6–8 with the opening round of the National Motocross Championship.

While the host venue for the first event is yet to be confirmed, the calendar has been reduced from eight rounds to seven, citing financial constraints despite government support.

Uganda boasts more than ten motorsport tracks, but only a handful remain dependable. The Uganda Motorsport Arena, Extreme Adventure Park Busiika, and Victoria Racing Track Garuga stand out as the country’s most reliable facilities.

Among them, Busiika is unique: it is the only track built to international standards, capable of hosting multiple disciplines, including go-karting, drifting, and motocross, simultaneously. Most other tracks continue to struggle to meet international requirements.

This situation poses a significant challenge to the Federation of Motorsports Clubs of Uganda (FMU), which is tasked with implementing the 2023 Sports Act. The Act emphasizes the need to spread sports across the country, but inadequate facilities hinder progress.

To meet this mandate, FMU must pursue public–private partnerships with landowners to establish new venues. Equally important is expanding the events calendar to assure investors that their facilities will be utilized regularly.

Several tracks have already shut down due to high maintenance costs and a lack of hosted events. The Arua track, built by Development Infrastructure (DI) in 2021, never hosted a single event before closing.

The Kasanje track, owned by Amos Wekesa and also constructed in 2021, managed only three events before shutting down. The Bukandula track in Gomba, developed by former Express FC chairman Julius Kavuma Kabenge, sits idle despite its scenic location and rally track. The Kyakaigo track in Fort Portal last hosted a motocross event in 2023 and is now on the verge of closure.

Track owners have voiced frustration over the uneven distribution of events. Edson Ssekamwa, director of Kyakaigo Sports Arena, argues that hosting just one event a year offers no incentive for heavy investment.

“There is totally no return on investing in a motorsport facility unless FMU comes up with a supporting policy,” Ssekamwa said. “You invest in a track, and to get an event you have to pay again. Others reap from your sweat. The federation should ensure equity in distributing events and support competitors to train regularly on these tracks.”

Similarly, Evas Orland, proprietor of Extreme Adventure Park Busiika, echoed the call for FMU to allocate more events to existing facilities, giving owners confidence to improve and maintain them.

For Uganda’s motorsport to thrive, FMU must prioritize upgrading and sustaining facilities such as Kyakaigo, Bukandula, Omito in Lira, Victoria Race Track Garuga, Mityana, Kalisizo Motorsport Arena, and Jinja.

Without consistent events and equitable support, many of these tracks risk fading into obscurity, leaving the sport without the infrastructure it needs to grow.