Bombers delight in AFBC cash
UBF president Muhangi (centre) delivered the cash to bronze medalists Nkobeza (left) and Kyobe. PHOTO/ABDUL-NASSER SSEMUGABI
What you need to know:
Uganda will miss the IBA Women’s World Championships starting this month in India where each of the 12 gold medalists will bag $100,000, silver medallists $50,000, and bronze medalists $25,000.
Jonah Kyobe is usually talkative but when he got the Shs9m from the 2022 AFBC African Boxing Championships, he almost became speechless.
The featherweight who nicknamed himself Kalawo, murmured, repeated words and sentences, blinking and shyly smiling. He couldn’t believe it.
But the boy from Bwaise ghettos, who worked at the abattoir and as security guard at Uganda House, said one thing clearly: “Fellow boxers, train harder, success will belong to you,” he told the press. “This money is a reward for my hard work. You too can make it. I’m very happy.”
Kyobe got $2500 for winning bronze at the continental championship in Maputo, Mozambique in September.
Middleweight Yusuf Nkobeza, who also stopped at the semifinals in Maputo, could equally not believe it.
“First, I thank God. Otherwise, who am I to get all this? We went for gold which would have given us Shs38m each, but even this is good enough,” he said in his trademark soft tone.
For the first time AFBC introduced prize money to the championship: $10,000 for gold; $5000 for silver and $2500 for bronze medalists.
However, it has been over six months since the tournament and the boxers had almost given up on the money prizes.
Uganda Boxing Federation president Moses Muhangi thanked the International Boxing Association for finally honouring its pledge to reward the boxers.
“This is great motivation for the boxers,” Muhangi said before blaming the government and the National Council Of Sports for underfunding boxing despite its potential to improve livelihoods and attracting foreign exchange.
“We missed several world championships because the government through NCS is not funding the national team, yet it’s their mandate.”
Uganda will miss the IBA Women’s World Championships starting this month in India where each of the 12 gold medalists will bag $100,000, silver medallists $50,000, and bronze medalists $25,000.
Muhangi also finally gave Teddy Nakimuli Shs1m as a reward for her bronze medal at the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham.
“It’s been long since I won that medal but I was sure it (the money) would eventually come.”
