How time flies. It dawned on me a few days ago that if I was a civil servant, I would be already retired and belonging to an elders’ club.
See, I will be turning 62 years later this year, two years over the public civil service limit. It is a bittersweet feeling of awe and ponderousness. As it has become of late, I seize every opportunity to reminisce about the good old times of Ugandan sport.
So, last Sunday on January 26 was one of those days that reminded me of the veteran in me. To realise that I have covered domestic sport right from the eighties to this day is enough to demonstrate why I should prepare to leave the stage for younger blood.
On this day, longtime friend and sports administrator, Roger Ddungu, a California-based property mogul, celebrated long-term sports personalities and administrators for their impact on Uganda’s sports sector. This was at his Ddungu resort beach in Munyonyo.
For introduction, Ddungu previously served as president of the Uganda Swimming Federation and the Uganda Weightlifting Federation, but he gained greater recognition as the president of the Uganda Boxing Federation (UBF) from 2006 to 2009, and as the president of the Uganda Olympic Committee (UOC) from 2009 to 2012.
So, Sunday was some sort of reunion for the Lugogo Elders Sports Club, which has over the years included present and former sports personalities, administrators, enforcers and media personalities at his.
These include former Fufa boss John Baptist Semanobe, Hassan Mutaasa, Fred Mukasa, Yahaya Kamulegeya, Afrigo’s Moses Matovu [Make no mistake, he was a top-level footballer], Abbey Kabanda and Polly Ouma.
Others are Tom Lwanga, Fred Mugisha, Charles Masiko, Ashe Mukasa, Nyondo Busulwa, Livingstone Lajani, Vincent Semanobe, Issa Kawooya, Dr Aggrey Kibenge, Jeff Serunjogi, Moses Kiwanuka, Hajji Lukwanzi, Richard Kiboneka and Dr Daniel Zaake, among others.
In attendance at the event were Buganda royals such as Princes Joseph Ndaula, Dr Dan Kajumba, Princess Diana Teyeggala, and Omutaka Nakirembeka Allan Waliggo, the head of the Mutiima Musagi clan.
I also noted the presence of former motor rally aces John Collins Ssali, Mathius Kiggundu and senior police officers AIGP Moses Kafeero Kabugo, Dr John Kamya and Kituuma Rusoke.
It was a nostalgic moment catching up with many former sports personalities from the past. Amidst all this excitement, I wondered what is so special about this group that would bring them all together for this special weekend. It turned out that in the late 1980s, former national team stars used to hold weekend training sessions at Lugogo playgrounds to bond and keep fit.
But as the years progressed, they dispersed and several splinter groups emerged to counter the lessening enthusiasm. This prompted some of the group leaders to come up with the idea of merging all groups into one and thus the birth of Lugogo Elders Sports Club.
The group unanimously picked Ddungu as patron. In spite of being mostly abroad, he has kept the group alive.
DDUNGU, THE TRAILBLAZER
Ddungu is renowned for his generosity and has helped many athletes financially and donated his Ddungu resort beach to host sports activities.
On the very day as the country recognised some of its heroes, Ddungu took it a step further by recognising various sports personalities, rewarding them with plaques. These included former Cranes stars Polly Ouma, Fred Mukasa, Ashe Mukasa and Moses Matovu, followed by former referees Catherine Adipo, Aggrey Kibenge and the late Abbey Kabanda.
Personally, the night’s highlight was Ddungu’s appreciation of myself for what he called ‘excellent contribution towards the world of sports journalism.’
I hate to rate myself but Ddungu’s recognition of my efforts was a humbling gesture that I feel the need to share with my readers.
Up we go!
hluzige@gmail.com