Uganda boxing community honours the life and contributions of Issa Kamoga

The Uganda boxing fraternity has commended the legacy of former Uganda Boxing Federation (UBF) president Issa Kamoga, who passed away on Friday, October 9.

Kamoga, a sportsman, educationist, and businessman, led the UBF from 2003 to 2005 before being ousted by Rodger Ddungu. He succumbed to pressure while returning from his routine Jumah prayers at a mosque in Busega-Kibumbiro, Rubaga Division, Kampala.

Born in Kibinge-Masaka district in 1943 to the late Haruna Bukenya and Mwajjuma Namaato, Kamoga’s boxing legacy began with the establishment of Kololo High Boxing Club in 1983, which would later dominate Ugandan boxing for years. He started Kololo BC with his former student, Brig. Gen. Felix Kulaigye.

Under Kamoga’s leadership, Kololo High BC produced exceptional talents like Godfrey Nyakana, a 1990 Commonwealth Games gold medalist. Other notable boxers from the club included light flyweight Fred Muteweta, a 1991 Africa Games gold medalist and 1994 Commonwealth Games bronze medalist; his brother, lightweight Charles Lubuulwa, a 1989 FESCABA and Kings Cup gold medalist; Muhamed Kayongo, a 1999 Africa Games gold medalist; Sam Kabugo; and Muzamafr Muwanguzi, among others.

Kamoga’s legacy was evident during the 1988 Seoul Olympic Games in South Korea, where Uganda fielded a team of nine boxers, seven of whom were from Kololo BC. These included light flyweight Fred Muteweta, flyweight Emmanuel Nsubuga, lightweight Charles Lubuulwa, light welterweight Dan Odindo, light middleweight John Bosco Waigo, middleweight Franco Wanyama, and light heavyweight Patrick Lihanda. Only welterweight Kasmiro Omona and bantamweight Edward Obewa were not from Kololo.

Sam Kabugo, another product of Kololo BC and a backroom coach for the national boxing team, The Bombers, told Vision Sport that a day before Kamoga’s passing, Kololo High students were to pay a courtesy visit to him.

“Two months ago, Hajji was successfully operated on for prostate cancer. On Saturday, October 12, Hajji had confirmed that Kololo students would visit him at his home in Kyengera-Mugongo,” Kabugo said.

According to Nyakana, who also led the UBF between 2009 and 2013, the sport has lost a father whose DNA was completely boxing. “Kamoga’s legacy in Uganda boxing is unmatched. We know how he contributed to the sport through Kololo BC and during his time as the UBF president. We shall miss him,” Nyakana said.

Nyakana was joined by Moses Muhangi, the current federation president, and Salim Uhuru, the president of the Uganda Professional Boxing Commission (UPBC). “We have lost a colleague who is irreplaceable to Ugandan boxing folks. Kamoga has lived boxing from his childhood to the time of his death. His legacy is up there,” Uhuru noted.

Muhangi posted, “Boxing has lost an icon. He was once our UBF president. His nurturing of young boxing talents made him unique. RIP Hajji Kamoga.”

Off the ring, Kamoga was an educationist and spent 27 years as headmaster of Kololo High School before establishing his private school, Kibinge SS. He was laid to rest on Saturday at his ancestral home in Kibinge, Masaka.