Ugandan Football on the Rise - Interview With Gideon Bright Mwesigwa
By Chris KL Lau
Africa is culturally and geographically diverse and this melting pot of peoples is often reflected in the continent's sporting passion; football. From South Africa all the way up to Tunisia the beautiful game is the beating heart of the continent and in the past decade or two, African football has continually developed and evolved and culminated with Morocco's inspirational run to the semi-finals of the recent World Cup in Qatar.
One African nation whose footballing potential is gradually being recognized is Uganda. Uganda is one of the jewels of Africa, not only in football but also tourism, due to its wonderfully friendly people and beautiful landscape.
Uganda is bordered by South Sudan to the north while another tourist hotspot, Kenya, lies to the east. With Tanzania and Rwanda to the south and the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the west, Uganda truly is landlocked yet globally more and more travelers are steadily learning about the beauty of this land with its awe inspiring landscape.
In footballing terms, Uganda have long lived in the past with memories of their African Cup of Nations appearances in 1962 and 1978 where they finished fourth and runners up respectively. Emerging after years in the wilderness, Uganda finally qualified again in 2017 and 2019 where they fell in the group stages (2017) and round of 16 (2019).
To further explore Ugandan football and the nation as a tourism hotspot, Gideon Bright Mwesigwa of Gid Safari Tours discussed the intricacies of the beautiful game in Uganda and how 'Jamhuri ya Uganda' is such a wonderful tourist destination which more and more travelers are discovering.
Gideon first gave his opinion on the structural organization of Uganda football and how it is run from top to bottom and gave insights into the Uganda Premier League / StarTimes Uganda Premier League.
"The Ugandan Premier League also known as the StarTimes Premier League is top of Uganda's club football pyramid. Ugandan Club football has 4 major divisions namely: the 4th division, the Regional League, BIG League, and the StarTimes Premier League.
The 1st division is played all over the country under various district football associations (DFAs).
The champions of various district leagues are promoted to the various regional leagues (RFA) which are 8 in number. The BIG league is made of 16 teams from around the country of which 3 teams can be promoted to the Startimes premier league. The UPL has come a long way and has had so many challenges."
Mwesigwa then gave insight to whether or not Uganda football is to a high standard.
"The current football administrators in the country have tried to make it a professional league through Club Licensing which entails clubs having players under contracts, clubs must have junior sides (under 18s), qualified coaches, strong governance and organizational structures, etc. The club licensing exercise makes sure that clubs are complying with the criteria before they are issued playing licenses at the start of every season making the standard of football high and competitive.
With the above foundation, the league is now run well and has attracted various sponsors and fans alike. The biggest sponsor is a Chinese cable TV company, StarTimes, that broadcasts over 200 live games every season. The winner of the league qualifies for the CAF Champions League which is played across the African continent."
Mwesigwa then gave his insights into the school of thought that Uganda is a sleeping giant of African football and what was holding back Uganda football.
"Uganda is a giant in the East African region but the same can't be said when it comes to the rest of Africa. Uganda had a good spell in the late 70s especially in 1978 when we lost to Ghana in the finals of the African Cup of Nations. It took Uganda over 30 years to qualify for the group stages of the Africa Cup of Nations.
They could be so many reasons why we don't do well on the continent but the main ones are the quality of coaching at the grassroots and the mentality of the players that we have."
Since African football, like the continent, is not homogenous, Mwesigwa described the unique style of Ugandan football and what it constitutes.
"I would describe the Ugandan football style as conservative, especially at the national team. We defend in numbers and then attack on the counter or use set pieces."
Uganda as a Tourist Destination
Uganda is not only known for sports, it is now seen as a hidden gem in terms of a destination for discerning travelers to include on their itinerary.
In 2022, Uganda saw 814,508 international visitors travel in from overseas. Tourism is a huge part of the nation's Gross domestic product and recently tourism earnings reached nearly 2.7 trillion shillings ($712.6 million. This represented 12.2% of total exports and 41.4% of service exports.
Some of the most famous must-sees include Murchison Falls National Park. It covers a total area of 3893 km and is Uganda's oldest and largest national park.The park is known for giant waterfalls and a diverse ecosystem which is home to wildlife which mainly includes elephants, buffalos, lions, giraffes, chimpanzees all who live in the backdrop of spectacular scenery.
Another famed beauty spot is the Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. The area is famed for the 400 mountain gorillas who call this area home. Kibale National Park, which is found in western Uganda, is famed as one of the world's most famous research sites for chimpanzees.
To round off Uganda's fascinating array of national parks; tourists can visit Queen Elizabeth National Park which is where the equator crosses and Besire Kidepo Valley National Park which is home to over 70 mammal species and 475 bird species.
Mwesigwa explained the charm that Uganda has to offer for visitors and tourists and gave insight into the character and makeup of the people.
"Uganda is known as the pearl of Africa. The Pearl is blessed with undeniable natural beauty. In the west, the Rwenzori peaks reach towards the sky, the perfect challenge for bold explorers. Across the nation, parks are home to some of the world's most exotic animals: Silverbacks, lions and countless others and Uganda is home to Africa's big 5 animals. Winding roads lead to places of grand beauty and unique cultures for those who dare to explore. There's a story at every turn, especially from the people, who are renowned for their warmth and charm."
Uganda is famed or Safaris though Mwesigwa provided some interesting facts including Uganda's connection to the Nile.
"Uganda is unique and is known to be the source of the longest river in the world, the river Nile, snow on the equator, and amazing weather throughout the year. Uganda has over 10 national parks and reserves plus its home to half of the world's endangered mountain gorillas."
Ugandan football, full of vast potential and growth is on the rise and the breathtaking beauty of the nation will remain eternal.
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Gmail: Gidsafaritours@gmail.com
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