URU goes after Magomu again, as a fan

But just as the dust appeared to settle, the union has reopened disciplinary proceedings on him but this time, not for something he said or did on the pitch but for how he allegedly conducted himself as a fan.

USSSA games

On May 13, Magomu attended the National Secondary Schools Rugby final in Mbale between Namilyango and King’s College Budo. According to a report seen by this publication from match commissioner Vian Matsiko, Magomu, an old boy of Namilyango seated in the VIP section, began shouting at match officials in protest of their calls during the second half.

Matsiko claims that he cautioned Magomu verbally but he disregarded the warning. Upon being cautioned a second time, he allegedly left the VIP area, approached the officials’ section and “aggressively shoved” the commissioner. The confrontation, Matsiko notes, was witnessed by teachers and other match officials and reportedly resulted in a brief scuffle.

He further alleges that Magomu threatened him by stating that he would “mobilize locals to perform mob justice,” and insisted he be spoken to “nicely,” adding that he was “at home.” Matsiko also claims that he filed an assault case at Mbale Central Police Station and obtained a PF3 medical form and that investigations are still going on.

URU steps in

Although the tournament falls under the jurisdiction of the Uganda Secondary Schools Sports Association (USSSA), Matsiko, who also serves on the new National Rugby Sevens Organising Committee, forwarded the matter to URU. The union’s executive committee subsequently constituted a disciplinary panel on June 5 and summoned Magomu for a hearing on June 11.

Magomu’s legal team, led by lawyer Ivan Ojakol, objected the case on procedural grounds. They argued that the complaint was submitted outside the stipulated time window, lacked a formal charge sheet, had no accompanying referee report and omitted key documentation such as a signature, police case reference number and medical evidence.

However, the URU disciplinary committee, chaired by Simon Peter Waiswa, dismissed all preliminary objections in a ruling that was delivered on June 25. The committee found that the complaint had been submitted within the 48-hour timeframe required by URU’s constitution. It also ruled that a charge sheet was not mandatory under World Rugby regulations and that a referee report was not required as the incident did not occur during gameplay. Substantive issues raised by Magomu’s team were deferred to the full hearing.

Jurisdiction questions

Despite the committee’s decision to proceed, URU’s involvement in the matter has drawn scrutiny, especially regarding its authority over school tournaments.

“This was a USSSA event,” a USSSA official who requested anonymity, told this publication. “What URU and other federations do is send technical persons to advise and not to handle judicial or disciplinary cases.”

The official noted that USSSA is currently managing several disciplinary cases internally, including one where fans of Jinja Progressive Academy (Jipra) allegedly assaulted referees during a semifinal football match, cases that have not attracted involvement from national federations.

A tense history

This is not Magomu’s first encounter with URU’s disciplinary processes.

In August 2025, he was suspended for six months and stripped of the national team captaincy following a social media post in which he criticised National Council of Sports (NCS) Secretary General Dr. Bernard Ogwel. Although Magomu argued that the post did not target URU and was made in a personal capacity, the union ruled that it had brought the sport into disrepute. His appeal was dismissed and the sanctions were upheld.

The hearing into the latest case is expected to proceed in the coming weeks.