Uganda Boxing Federation President Moses Muhangi has opened up about his past disagreements with FUFA President Moses Magogo, claiming that influence and unfair funding decisions contributed to the neglect of sports such as boxing.
Speaking during an interview, Muhangi said he eventually lost interest in FUFA matters because his biggest disagreement at the time was with Magogo.
According to Muhangi, Magogo had significant influence in the sports sector, which he linked to his wife, Anita Among, being Speaker of Parliament at the time. Muhangi claimed that this influence extended to some members of the National Council of Sports (NCS), affecting decisions on how funds were distributed among different sporting disciplines.
He alleged that as a result, some sports received greater attention and financial support while others, including boxing, were left struggling.
Muhangi said the problem was not simply about football but about a system where, in his view, funding was sometimes influenced by the interests of powerful individuals instead of being directed to the sporting disciplines that needed it most.
“Some games were prioritised while others were left behind,” Muhangi said, according to his account.
He also criticised the NCS for allegedly focusing on sports that were considered more desirable while neglecting others. Muhangi argued that this selective approach has slowed the growth of several disciplines and forced many athletes to look for other ways to survive.
According to him, some sportsmen and women have turned to corporate competitions and privately sponsored events because they offer a better opportunity to earn a living.
Muhangi was also asked why he and other boxing officials are not promoters in the sport.
In response, he said boxing has clear rules and structures that every stakeholder must follow. According to him, anyone interested in becoming a promoter must first go through the proper procedures and become part of the recognised structures governing the sport.
Muhangi stressed that no one can simply enter the game and create their own rules.
“There are rules governing boxing, and everyone must follow them. You cannot come up with your own rules and expect to run the game your own way,” he said.
He maintained that the established rules are meant to protect the integrity of boxing and ensure that promoters, officials and other stakeholders operate within the same framework.
Despite the challenges, Muhangi praised the progress boxing has made during his time as president of the Uganda Boxing Federation.
He said that when his administration took over, boxing attracted far less attention from the public. Today, however, he believes the picture has changed significantly, with more Ugandans showing interest in the sport.
“People have now picked interest in boxing compared to back then,” Muhangi said.
He credited the progress to the work done by his administration, saying the sport has regained public attention and attracted more participants and corporate interest.
Muhangi insisted that Uganda has enormous sporting talent beyond football and other traditionally popular disciplines. However, he said the country can only fully develop that potential if funding is distributed fairly and every sport is given a genuine opportunity to grow.
