Kabojja International School, Uganda Aquatics Seal Four-Year Partnership To Boost Swimming In Uganda
By Kayiira Jackson
Uganda Aquatics and Kabojja International School have entered a four-year partnership aimed at developing the sport of swimming in Uganda through improved training facilities and athlete support.
The memorandum of understanding was officially signed on Thursday at Kabojja International School in Buziga during a ceremony attended by officials from both institutions. Uganda Aquatics was represented by its president Moses Mwase and members of the federation executive, while the school delegation was led by the Chief Executive Officer and principal Sam Turya.
The partnership will allow Ugandan swimmers access to the newly constructed semi-Olympic swimming pool at Kabojja International School, a facility expected to significantly improve training standards in the country.
The pool becomes only the second semi-Olympic swimming facility in Uganda after the one at Kampala International School Uganda (KISU), highlighting the limited availability of world-class swimming infrastructure in the country.
Speaking during the press conference held poolside at Kabojja, Mwase expressed gratitude to the school for investing in swimming development and partnering with the federation.
“I am happy that we have come into partnership with Kabojja. This MoU will guide us so that our partnership thrives,” Mwase said.
“In constructing the pool, the school followed our guidance and we are happy they did it well. The launch and first test of its potential will come this Saturday when it hosts the swimming league featuring at least 500 swimmers from 23 clubs.”
Mwase also noted that Uganda still trails behind many countries in swimming infrastructure development.
“In some countries, almost every village has a swimming pool of this calibre, but unfortunately Uganda has only gotten its second one, and neither of them is a government facility,” he added.
Kabojja International School principal Sam Turya said the institution remains committed to balancing academics with sports development and believes the facility will benefit both learners and the wider community.
“It’s not all about academics. As Kabojja, we also engage in sports. I believe we have the best basketball arena in Uganda, and now we have constructed this swimming pool because we want to improve the standards of swimming,” Turya said.
“Like the federation president said, we followed all the federation guidelines during construction. The facility has enough space, a restaurant with athlete-friendly prices, and it will also be accessible to our parents and the community.”
National swimming coach Muwanguzi Muzafaru welcomed the development, describing the facility as a major boost for athletes and coaches in Uganda.
“Getting such a place is great for our athletes and coaches because it improves the standards of training. Recently, our athletes’ performances at the international level have improved because many have trained abroad, but that has been expensive for both families and the country,” Muzafaru said.
“Having this facility means athletes can now train from here and still produce good results internationally.”
Paralympic swimmer and school ambassador Husnah Kukundakwe also graced the occasion as Kabojja and Uganda Aquatics celebrated what many described as a significant milestone for the growth of swimming in Uganda.