The National Council of Sports (NCS) has formally reaffirmed the Uganda Boxing Federation (UBF) as the exclusive authority mandated to oversee all boxing activities in Uganda, drawing a definitive line under longstanding governance disputes within the sport.
In a directive dated April 9, NCS cited persistent concerns over non-compliance by certain actors who have continued to stage unsanctioned boxing events without clearance from the legally recognized federation.
The council noted that this trend has endured despite a series of consultative engagements and guidance aimed at harmonizing operations within the sport.
Grounding its position in the National Sports Act, NCS emphasized that the law recognizes only one registered body per sporting discipline.
“AUTHORITY AND CLARITY ON ORGANIZATION OF BOXING (AMATEUR AND PROFESSIONAL) EVENTS IN UGANDA
Reference is made to yours Ref 066/2/26-UBF/3 dated 26th February 2026 on the above subject matter.
National Council of Sports (NCS) has taken note of your concerns regarding the lack of cooperation from some actors in the sports who continue to organize illegal boxing activities without following procedures and clearance from the governing body of boxing in Uganda, the Uganda Boxing Federation (UBF) despite several engagement meetings and guidance provided.
National Council of Sports in accordance with the National Sports Act, Cap 151, hereby inform you and the general public that the law only recognized one registered sports organization to oversee each sports discipline and in this case Uganda Boxing Federation for the case of boxing discipline in Uganda.
The main purpose of this letter, therefore is threefold as follows: –
i) To clarify that the National Council of Sports recognize Uganda Boxing Federation (UBF) as the sole entity responsible for managing the sport of boxing in Uganda. (Please find attached a copy of the detailed opinion of the Solicitor General for ease of reference and marked ‘A’).
ii) To re-affirm the position of National Council of Sports and request all stakeholders who would like to organize any boxing event to seek clearance from Uganda Boxing Federation.
iii) To request the President of Uganda Boxing Federation to liaise with the Uganda Police Force (UPDF) for enforcement of this directive in case of any further challenge.” Reads the NCS document signed by General Secretary Dr. Bernard Patrick Ogwel
In the case of boxing, that mandate squarely rests with UBF, effectively rendering any parallel structures or independently organized competitions unlawful.
In communication signed by General Secretary Patrick Ogwel, NCS reiterated that UBF holds the sole responsibility for the administration, regulation, and development of boxing across the country.
All stakeholders intending to organize boxing events have consequently been directed to obtain prior authorization from the federation.
To reinforce compliance, UBF President Moses Muhangi has been tasked with coordinating enforcement measures in collaboration with the Uganda Police Force, ensuring that the directive is upheld without exception.
The ruling delivers a significant setback to the Uganda Professional Boxing Commission (UPBC), whose leadership has long contested UBF’s capacity to regulate the sport effectively.
As recently as August last year, UPBC President Eddie Bazira publicly called on NCS to reinstate the commission’s authority over professional boxing, arguing that UBF had fallen short even in managing amateur structures.
However, NCS’s latest pronouncement appears to decisively settle the matter, consolidating all boxing governance under a single institutional framework and leaving little room for competing claims of authority within the sport.
