Uganda Finishes Fourth as Burundi Leads the Region in Interforces Judo
By Kayiira Jackson
Burundi Police emerged overall champions of the 2025 East Africa Interforces Judo Championship held at Old Kampala Arena, after two days of intense competition that concluded on Saturday. The Burundians dominated the tatami, amassing 11 medals—six gold, three silver, and two bronze—to claim the prestigious regional title for the second time.
Kenya Prisons finished second with a tally of 10 medals (five gold, two silver, and three bronze), while the Police Force of the Democratic Republic of Congo secured third place after registering two gold, one silver, and three bronze medals.
Hosts Uganda Police Force settled for fourth position but celebrated a historic gold medal won by Zubeda Talikaza in the women’s -70kg category. Talikaza defeated Burundi’s Shamsa Hakizimana in a thrilling final to hand Uganda its lone gold of the championship. The hosts concluded the event with eight medals in total—one gold, four silver, and three bronze.
Speaking after her victory, Police Constable Talikaza reflected on Uganda’s performance with optimism.
“Finishing fourth is just a number. We have learnt a lot from this championship,” she said. “We played against opponents who are far more experienced, and we are not leaving here the same. This has shown us the areas we must improve.”
Assistant Inspector of Police Peter Malavu, Uganda’s Chief Instructor and team manager, praised the team’s resilience and growth in a sport that is still gaining traction locally.
“Our performance has been impressive. Burundi and DR Congo are miles ahead, but our athletes showed great character,” Malavu said. “This is a strong foundation as we prepare for the East Africa Police Forces Games in 2027. Beyond competition, we have also strengthened unity among regional forces.”
The competition featured 14 events—seven for men and seven for women—drawing 80 security officers from eight forces across Uganda, Kenya, Burundi, DR Congo, and Rwanda.
Uganda Judo Association Vice President–Technical, George William Ssekiwunga, commended the organizers and partners despite challenges such as limited funding and the absence of some East African Community teams.
“We hoped for teams from all nine EAC countries, but some could not make it due to unavoidable constraints,” he explained. “Funding was also a challenge since we had only one partner, ITMS, but with collective effort, we still managed a successful championship.”
With Burundi lifting the overall trophy and Uganda taking valuable lessons, the 2024 edition reaffirmed the growing status of judo within regional security forces and highlighted the sport’s role in fostering discipline, cooperation, and camaraderie across East Africa.