Kakungulu Memorial pioneering weightlifting in schools

“I am happy that the gym is now within the school,” Mutesi told Score on Monday. “It’s easier now that I no longer have to walk to the gym in Kisugu every evening. You know we have to train regularly to avoid muscle tears.”

Mutesi used to like “hard games played by boys.” At her former school, she was on bursary for playing football—keeping goal and playing several numbers, except 7 and 11. Then in 2019, she met Ivan Masakwe, who started playing as an infant in his father’s gym in Kisugu. He tried all manner of sports but is more popular for inheriting his father’s job as the most renowned gym instructor in Kisugu and the neighbourhoods.

“I used to think those weights were light but they were damn heavy,” Mutesi said. “But I don’t easily give up. And here I am representing Uganda.”

On her international debut last year Mutesi lifted 55kg in Snatch and 66kg in Clean & Jerk at the 5^th Islamic Solidarity Games in Konya, Turkey. Totaling 121kg, she ranked sixth in the Women’s 59kg category.

Three weeks later, she totaled 121 at the African Youth Championships in Casablanca, Morocco, before winning gold at the Power Weekend in Nairobi in December.

Now returning to the continental championship, Mutesi hopes for even better fortunes. “My hopes are high. I am doing my best and leave the rest to God.”

Books and barbells

We pioneered badminton in schools and we produced international stars like Brian Kasirye, Shamim Bangi among others. Now many schools have embraced the sport,” said Hajj Jamil Buwembo, headmaster Kakungulu Memorial, the reigning East Africa Secondary Schools champions in boys’ hockey and handball.

“We want to do the same with weightlifting, because as a community school we have a responsibility to give every child an opportunity to maximise their potential, academically and otherwise.”

At first, Buwembo shared the misconception that weightlifters are unruly. “But now I know better. And so far in terms of discipline, we have no problem with them.”

Already, Mutesi and Davis Niyoyita, who won gold at the African Championships in Tunisia in May, are stars.

Recently, Niyoyita won the best weightlifter awards for 2021 and 2022 from USPA, emulating Zubairi Kubo, who won three bronze medals at the 2019 African Games in Rabat, Morocco and Hamdan Lutaaya who reigned 2017 and 2018 after the Youth Olympics in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

But Niyoyita’s potential could have died without an enabling environment.

“My former school did not want anything to do with weightlifting. Even the charity organisation that used to pay my school fees stopped. So I dropped out and in the confusion I missed the 2018 Commonwealth Games,” said the Senior Three student who has been to two World Championships—Colombia 2022 and Saudi Arabia 2023.

“But I thank my coach Ivan (Masakwe) for sticking with me and Kakungulu Memorial for giving me this scholarship. I pledge success.” After the 2022 Commonwealth Games, Niyoyita’s immediate goal is qualifying for the 2024 Paris Olympics.

Buwembo demands more success from the school’s growing stable of over 10 more lifters.

“If you remain focused and be disciplined I am sure we shall achieve. As a school, we are committed to supporting you in every way we can,” Buwembo pledged.  

 “I mean business. If it’s time for books, I do books and if it’s for sport I do sport,” said Mutesi, who offers Divinity, Art, Luganda/IT.

“I want to do weightlifting to the level where I inspire other children. I want a girl to walk into the gym to be like me.”

The headmaster also requested that after her final exams, Mutesi returns to train her colleagues, for a small fee, an offer Mutesi welcomed with a smile.  

Great start

Tamale Ssali, the organising secretary Uganda Weightlifting Association commended Kakungulu for embracing the sport.

“This is an answer to President Museveni’s call to take sports back to schools. I hope others will follow.”

Issa Kanda, the publicity secretary, said the federation has donated 250kg of barbells to allow the students to train from the school’s gym, without disruptions.

Lydia Nakidde and Danton Tumukunde are two national team members from Kisugu. Nakidde, who competed at the Worlds in Colombia and Saudi Arabia will try to qualify for the Olympics via the IWF Grand Prix in Qatar in December, while Tumukunde will make his international debut in the 105+kg category in Cairo in October.

Though not Kakungulu students, they join Niyoyita, Mutesi and others at the school gym every day, under the guidance of Kassim Nsubuga, the national coach.