Mahaba still yearns to create a model association

Uganda Cycling Association (UCA) president Sam Muwonge alias Mahaba believes they are on an upward trajectory.

In February, Charles Kagimu cycled to a memorable gold in the elite category's individual time trial (ITT) while Lawrence Lorot bagged silver in the junior's event at the 2023 Africa Continental Championships held in Accra, Ghana.

These are the first medals of note in a while and the kind of story Mahaba hopes can be milked in the media when there is a discussion about cycling. 

However, Mahaba - who has passionately led the association for two long periods (1990 to 2000 and 2010 to-date) - can hardly control the accusations in several circles that he is a problematic leader that has overstayed his welcome.

Muwonge started out as a cyclist in the 1960s when his grandparents bought him a bicycle at Shs120 (then) to help him manage the 12km journey to school.

He, however, dropped out in secondary school after the death of his father. But he believes that had fate not had its way with him, he would have been a politician of note - after all he studied with former presidential candidate Kibirige Mayanja at Mende Primary School.

Sports politics instead became his fall to place.

"Definitely, one cannot be president for life but we need leaders that have the passion and experience to sail through the challenges of our sports," Mahaba told SCORE during an interview at the UCA offices in Makindye. 

The fights 

Despite his deep contacts in the sport, cycling like most disciplines in Uganda grapples with lack of financial resources to run its activities, equipment, proper training and welfare for athletes among others. Some of these are the reasons a host of cyclists presented in an attempt to impeach him in mid 2016.

This period was probably the height of leadership wrangles in cycling and Mahaba's involvement undoubtedly led to the reputation that precedes him.

Before that, he had resigned in 2000 and took a 10 year break from the sport after his rivals started associations like the Mountain Bikers and Buganda Cycling in what he says was an attempt to fight him.

On returning in 2010, he found that past leaders like Robert Kiwendo, Bruhan Ssekibenga and Lawrence Byaruhanga some of whom had participated in his 2000 ouster had introduced terms of office (four years). 

But the wrangles stayed. In fact Ssekibenga remained one of Mahaba's main rivals and backed Mathius Lukwago in starting the Uganda Cycling Federation in 2017. But this one died at birth as National Council of Sports (NCS) refused to endorse it.

The truce 

"(Buganda Minister for Sports Henry) Sekabembe locked us in a room with Ssekibenga as he tried to get to the bottom of our differences (in 2020).

"He (Ssekabembe) then asked us to front names of people who can work on the Buganda Cycling Committee and while I mentioned (former National Council of Sports general secretary Jasper) Aligawesa, Ssekibenga wanted Lukwago who is now leading the Committee. We have since had a better relationship," Mahaba shared as he gave details of how the current truce, which culminated into him being elected unopposed in 2021, was created.

There are no guarantees that the fights will not return in the 2025 election but emulating Uganda Olympic Committee (UOC)'s incident-free leadership is Mahaba's main concern now. He has, however, set no deadlines for himself.

"We want to have an association where we work together with respect and where everyone executes their roles. We want to introduce term limits.

We have very many athletes that would be interested in leading the sport but we also have to be careful about those that will be used to abuse the sport as has been the case. 

Lastly, we shall soon have to become a federation because the number of people interested in the sport - even for leisure or as a lifestyle - grows by the day. If the cyclists in western, eastern and northern Uganda continue to strengthen their structures, there will be demand for us to federate under stronger leadership," Muwonge said. 

The action plan

He also harbours intentions to join continental and international cycling leadership like fellow veteran Salim Musoke has done with weightlifting or like Ambrose Tashobya and Donald Rukare in basketball and swimming respectively among others. Without leaders on these top bodies, lobbying for equipment and services can turn into a chore.

Muwonge has not failed to penetrate these centres for the lack of trying but he once missed a delegates' conference over a delayed visa. 

When he returned in 2010, Mahaba - who picks this name from the Arabic word that means friend - quickly tried to re-establish himself on the continent.

He went with a team to the Africa Cycling Championship in Egypt. Here he found that Mohammed Azzam - the clerk of course when Mahaba raced at the same competition in 1983 - had become  vice president of Africa Cycling Confederation (Cac). Azzam is now Cac president - a clear show of how much time the Ugandan veteran administrator has lost wrangling back at home.

"They do not make you a top leader because of your age but because of your abilities and the value you add to the Confederation," Mahaba said.

UCA would like to hold bigger competitions. They tried Tour de Equator and Tour de Uganda but that took its financial toll on the organisers.

"Ten years ago, the Rwandans told me Tour de Rwanda - a seven day race cost them about Shs1bn - but they did it as an investment to promote their country just the way Benin, Egypt and South Africa have done. 

Now, I am sure it costs more now but it also brings in even more revenue.

Tour De Equator went for three days and it cost me about Shs7m for three days. These are the kinds of investment discussions we need to get into with government," he added.

UCA has tried to promote cycling nationally by having National Championships in Kabale, Fort Portal, Mbale, Pallisa and Tororo among other places.

His last wishes are to strengthen women's involvement in the sport and find support (both financial and technical) for the people that develop bicycle frames using bamboo.

"We have African medallists, we can take our competitions around the country amidst our challenges.

Our next step should be to promote female cyclists. We need our own Inzikuru.

But one time I presented a request for 40 bicycles to the (Olympic) Solidarity and I was told that I should start with 10 to take the sport to schools. That will grow the numbers of participants and those who can buy their own bicycles.

And the boys that develop frames need to be given the technical support to make bicycles that are good for competition or safe to use on the road. Bicycles are very expensive but if they can be made here, the costs will definitely go down," Mahaba said.

A lot to do 

The bicycle Kagimu rode "during the time trial in Accra costs $14,000" (about Shs51.8m), according to the rider who gets support from Ineos, sponsors of Kenyan marathon legend Eliud Kipchoge.

Lorot is also from the Ineos Eliud Kipchoge Cycling Academy in Kenya and on checking the Ineos website, they mostly promote bicycles of over $5,000 (over Shs15m).

Interestingly, in the financial year 2021/22, UCA received just over Shs39m - way less than the cost of a bike that can win you the Africa Championship gold - from NCS. This financial discrepancy alone highlights the amount of work the association has to do.

Past Cycling Leaders

1990 - 2000: Sam 'Mahaba' Muwonge  
2001 - 2004: Lawrence Byaruhanga
2004 - 2007: Bruhane Ssekibenga
2008 - 2009:  Robert Kiwendo
2010 - To-date: Mahaba

Numbers
23 - Number of years Mahaba has been at the helm of UCA 

39 - Shs39m is how much Uganda Cycling Association received from NCS in the financial year 2021/22

14,000 - $14,000 (Shs51.8m) is the cost of the bicycle Charles Kagimu used to win gold in the time trial at the Africa Continental Championships