New Museveni directive on land offer excites Muhangi

Uganda Boxing Federation (UBF) president Moses Muhangi could not thank President Museveni enough for “being serious on the matter of offering land to boxing.”

In his first directive to the Uganda Land Commission on September 13, 2021, Museveni ordered that UBF be allocated land in a radius of 30k within Kampala. But since then, followed by the suspension of the land commission chairperson Beatrice Byenkya, nothing has materialised.

Muhangi severally wrote to Museveni reminding him that no action has ever been taken since his directive.

But in a letter by the Principal Private Secretary to the President Dr Kenneth Omona dated January 23, said that after ULC failed allocating the land, as per the directive, UBF requested the ULC to “explore the possibility of providing them land in other towns of Uganda.”

“I am therefore writing to draw your attention to this outstanding matter and to request that you handle it accordingly.

“I look forward to receiving a report of actions for His Excellence the President’s briefing,” concludes the letter which drew Muhangi’s excitement.

“After getting the land people will think it’s easy acquiring land from the President. But it’s not easy. That means the President knows the worth of boxing,” Muhangi told the press at Kati Kati Restaurant in Lugogo on Wednesday.

“They say Amin did many great things for boxing but it will go on record that Museveni is the first president to offer land to boxing, for which we are very thankful.”

In December 2022, Umar Kremlev, president of the International Boxing Association (IBA) commissioned a $5m project on which UBF plans a magnificent boxing academy to be established on a 10acre land in Matugga, which was donated by Buganda Kingdom.

Muhangi said with or without IBA’s support UBF shall ensure the land is developed for the progress of the federation.

“We came when the federation had no assets now we have land. We already have 10 acres courtesy of Buganda Kingdom.

“We first contacted the government but it delayed allocating us the land in the city. But we couldn’t sit back and wait and when we contacted Buganda, they responded very fast, which we are very grateful for. By the end of this year boxing will be priding ourselves in 21 acres of land,” Muhangi celebrated as if even the government deal was done.

Muhangi said that in the new directive, the President agreed to offer one acre in Kampala and one in 10 districts across the country: Gulu, Arua, Mbale, Jinja, Kasese, Kabale, Mbarara, Hoima and Soroti.  

However, Daily Monitor could not verify the details of the letter because Dr Omona was too busy to clarify on the matter, when contacted on the phone.

Former UBF president David Agong lauded Muhangi for the great work. “There’s a very big difference nowadays. Our days were quite hard. It’s great for boxing that now the federation owns land.”