Official Tournament Opening Ceremony: Kho Kho Scores Big with Historic USSSA Ball Games II Introduction
By Kayiira Jackson
GULU CITY — Indian traditional sport Kho Kho has taken a significant step in its rapid growth in Uganda after making its debut at the 2026 Uganda Secondary Schools Sports Association (USSSA) Ball Games II Championship as a demonstration sport.
The sport, which was introduced in Uganda in 2020, featured prominently during the official opening ceremony of the championship at Sacred Heart Secondary School in Gulu City on Friday, marking a major milestone in its quest to become a permanent fixture on the USSSA programme.
Kho Kho was showcased alongside other emerging disciplines, including pickleball and cricket, as USSSA continued its drive to widen sporting opportunities for learners across the country.
Speaking at the opening ceremony, Uganda Kho Kho Federation Technical Director Ephraim Makubuya, who represented federation president Mustafa Nsubuga, hailed USSSA for opening its doors to the fast-growing sport.
“We’re very grateful to USSSA for giving us the opportunity to introduce this game to schools,” Makubuya said.
He noted that the sport has enjoyed remarkable growth since its introduction six years ago.
“Kho Kho started with only four people in Kampala, but today it has spread to more than 80 districts. When we introduced it to schools, we expected only a few teams, but as we speak, more than 20 schools have embraced it. This is a great milestone,” he added.
USSSA President Justus Mugisha welcomed the introduction of new disciplines, saying they are key to ensuring every learner has an opportunity to participate in sports.
“We want every child to take part in at least one sports discipline. When new sports like Kho Kho are introduced, I encourage schools to embrace them. I thank those schools that have entered athletes in these new disciplines,” Mugisha said.
Mugisha also revealed that this year’s Ball Games II Championship has attracted a record 10,180 participants, competing in 23 sports categories and four demonstration disciplines, underlining the continued growth of school sports in Uganda.
He attributed Uganda’s dominance at the Federation of East Africa Secondary Schools Sports Association (FEASSA) Games to the country’s strong school sports structures.
“We compete at the highest level here, and that is why Uganda has won the FEASSA overall title for five consecutive editions since 2019,” he noted.
The official opening ceremony was presided over by the President of the Association of Secondary School Headteachers of Uganda (ASSHU), Zulaika Nabukeera, who applauded school administrators for prioritising co-curricular activities.
“I would like to applaud all headteachers for promoting co-curricular activities in schools. This is a huge reason why Uganda continues to perform brilliantly in international competitions,” Nabukeera said.
She also called for fairness in school competitions by urging schools to field only eligible students.
“Do not bring non-bona fide students. Let us develop our young boys and girls for the future by giving them the opportunity to compete fairly,” she emphasized.
The 2026 USSSA Ball Games II Championship continues in Gulu City, bringing together thousands of student-athletes from across Uganda to compete in various disciplines while also providing a platform for emerging sports such as Kho Kho to showcase their potential.