However, he will always be remembered in the boxing echelons as one of the best administrators and promoters of the sport. A few years ago, Kamoga was diagnosed with diabetes and although he was managing the condition well, he passed away from high blood pressure on October 7 while traveling from Juma prayers in Nateete.
He joined Kololo High School in 1978 from Kibuli SS, replacing Hajji Abbasi Kaawaase Mukasa. During his tenure, he touched and inspired thousands and it is difficult to move anywhere in the city without finding his former students.
Remember, Kololo High School served both the privileged and the underprivileged, accommodating hundreds of students from both the formal and informal sectors.
He turned Kololo High School into a boxing powerhouse. That’s why the boxing national team of the 1980s and 1990s was dominated by Kololo High School old boys. Kamoga also had a passion for other sports disciplines such as football, netball and squash, but his greatest passion was boxing. Besides teaching Biology, he loved music and he got involved in the school choir in his early years at the school.
So, his untimely demise last Friday and subsequent burial in Kibinge, Bukomansimbi district, attracted hundreds of mourners who eulogized him as a man of his word—an educationist, politician, businessman and sportsman who left a void behind.
I got to know Kamoga when I joined Kololo High School in 1980 and I last talked to him in 2016 when I bumped into him at Lugogo sports complex. He had changed in appearance, especially the grey hair all over his head, but his infectious smile never deserted him. We reminisced about sports, and boxing in particular.
HEADTEACHER WITH A DIFFERENCE
At the time he joined Kololo High School as head teacher, the school had one shift, but he created the afternoon shift, which doubled the number of students. He worked hard to see to it that many children got a chance to get an education. He also granted unprivileged children and talented ones half-bursaries.
In the late 90s, the school later relocated to new premises along William street. Despite being a staunch Muslim, Kamoga served everyone well, regardless of their religious affiliations, a trait that endeared him to his subordinates.
In 1983, Kamoga proposed the idea of establishing a boxing team at the school. He enlisted the help of John Waigo, a student and boxer at the time, to identify potential boxers for the team, and the rest is history.
In the late 1980s, the school produced top boxers such as Godfrey Nyakana, Fred Muteweta, Emmanuel Nsubuga, Jackson Asiku, Kassim Adam, Peter Okello, Mohammed Kidda, and Kizito Walusimbi. These stars went on to win several global honors for the country.
On the football side, the school also produced top talents like Godfrey Kateregga. Ashe Kawooya, George Nsimbe, Issa Serwanja, Twaha Kivumbi and Edward Kalungi, among others.
THE SPORTS ADMINISTRATOR
Administrative disputes had plagued local boxing (UBF) for many years. In 1993, David Agong’s ascension to boxing’s top office intensified the disputes within the boxing community. In the early 2000s, Vicky Byarugaba, a former boxer, defeated Agong in fiercely contested UBF polls. In the same election, Kamoga was elected vice president.
However, the disputes persisted, but Kamoga was always seen as the unifier amongst various factions. In 2004, he was elected to take over the UBF helm. However, things did not go as expected. He found it difficult to balance Kololo High School and UBF demands. It didn’t help matters that property disputes threatened the existence of his school.
As the dispute intensified, Kamoga, having reached retirement age, concluded his illustrious career in education in 2005. The retirement allowed him to focus on his work at UBF. Still, he encountered a lot of pressure in UBF and opted to step aside ahead of the 2006 UBF polls, a decision that helped Roger Ddungu take the mantle.
Thereafter, Kamoga focused on his businesses in Kampala. Later, he entered politics and made a shot for a parliamentary seat in Bukomansimbi but was unsuccessful. The big crowd that attended his burial was a testimony of Hajji Kamoga’s rich legacy; we shall miss him!
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