No contest: Muhangi poised to extend reign at Uganda Boxing Federation
The last elective poll was held in 2014, when magistrate Kenneth Gimugu defeated the late Issa Kikungwe, then Kyadondo West Member of Parliament and chairman of Zana Boxing Club, to claim the top seat.
Incumbent UBF president Moses Muhangi (right) while addressing clubs recently, on his left is Don King Sameul Lukanga owner of Lukanga Boxing Clubs. Photo by Fred Kisekka
Ugandan boxing is on the verge of another uncontested election as the Uganda Boxing Federation (UBF) prepares to return to the polls later this month.
The last elective poll was held in 2014, when magistrate Kenneth Gimugu defeated the late Issa Kikungwe, then Kyadondo West Member of Parliament and chairman of Zana Boxing Club, to claim the top seat.
Thirteen years later, the federation is once again heading into elections scheduled for February 28, with incumbent president Moses Muhangi poised to retain office for a third consecutive term, once again unopposed.
Muhangi, who first assumed office in 2018, won his first two terms without opposition.
His fate of extending that streak will be confirmed on Friday, February 6, when the nomination exercise officially closes. By press time, he remained the sole presidential aspirant to have picked and returned nomination forms.
According to UBF Electoral Committee chairman Paul Mukasa, the window remains open for other interested candidates to submit their nominations before the deadline. “You have reached me at a time when I am preparing for a court session. I still need to review all the documents to confirm whether there are any new candidates who have picked and returned nomination forms,” Mukasa told Vision Sport.
Why Muhangi is returning unopposed
Unless there is a late twist, Muhangi is set to become the third longest-serving UBF president, behind the late Maj. Gen. Francis Nyangweso and David Agong. Nyangweso led the federation in two separate stints, first in the 1960s and later from 1979 to 1988, before being succeeded by Agong, whose tenure ended in 2001.
Muhangi’s continued grip on the federation’s top seat is largely attributed to the 2022 constitutional amendments, which critics compare to former Ugandan President Apollo Milton Obote’s “Pigeon Hall Constitution.”
Among the notable requirements to contest for any UBF executive seat are completion of a National Technical Certificate (NTC) course organized by Muhangi in 2021, or recognition as an International Technical Officer (ITO). Additional criteria include possession of at least an Advanced Level (A-Level) certificate or its equivalent, prior service in the outgoing UBF executive for a minimum of four years, or having served as a senior club official for at least five consecutive years.
Muhangi dismisses claims that these requirements are restrictive. “To me these requirements are normal. These are mere excuses from my opponents. The reality is they are scared of the too much success I have achieved for Ugandan boxing,” he said. “Secondly, none of my opponents can invest heavily in the sport like I do. This is the reality they can admit.”
The upcoming UBF elections will fill nine executive positions. However, only the President, General Secretary, Treasurer, Women’s Representative, and Ex-International are elected. The remaining positions, including the two vice presidents, are appointed by the sitting president.