As Uganda celebrates a century of athletic excellence, the Uganda Prisons Service (UPS) stands proudly at the heart of this national milestone.
At the upcoming Akii-Bua Memorial Championship and Invitational Meet on June 1 and June 7, 2025, UPS’s Prisons Athletics Club will once again take center stage, carrying forward a tradition that has shaped Uganda’s sporting identity since 1925.
Under the theme “Celebrating and Sustaining Athletics Excellence” the centenary commemorations honor not only Uganda’s storied past in athletics but also the institutions that have driven its success.
Few have done more than UPS, whose athletics club has produced global stars and inspired generations.
- A humble beginning, a towering legacy
The club’s journey began in 1964 when George Odeke represented Uganda at the Tokyo Olympics.
After hanging up his spikes, Odeke became the club’s first coach in 1968, joining forces with national team head coach Malcolm Arnold to launch a groundbreaking talent-scouting program.
The results were swift and spectacular by the early 1970s, Prisons athletes were mainstays on the national team.
Despite political turmoil and Olympic boycotts in the 1970s, UPS athletes dazzled at the All-Africa and Commonwealth Games.
Triple jumper Jimmy Issamat, middle-distance standout Nalis Bugingo, sprinter Judith Aya and javelin ace Christina Anyakun were among the club’s early heroes. Bugingo’s national steeplechase record stood unbroken for 31 years.
- Golden moments and unfulfilled dreams
The 1970s were a golden era. Aya and Silver Ayo collected Commonwealth and All-Africa medals. Justin Arop became a national icon, competing in three Olympics and setting a national javelin record that still stands.
But political instability from 1978 to 1981 nearly extinguished the flame. The club teetered in the early ’90s, saved only by the resilience of veteran coaches like Bugingo and Issamat.
- Revival and resurgence
A new chapter began in 2005 under the Commissioner General of Prisons, Dr. Johnson Byabashaija, whose support fueled a revival.
A fresh wave of stars emerged: Olympic marathon champion Stephen Kiprotich delivered Uganda’s first marathon gold at the 2012 London Games and followed it with a world title in 2013.
Fred Musobo, Felix Chemonges, Stephen Kissa, and Phillip Kiplimo extended the club’s global reach in road running.
Meanwhile, sprinters and middle-distance runners raised Uganda’s profile on the track. Haron Adoli set a national 4x400m mixed relay record in 2024 and became the first Ugandan male 400m finalist at the Commonwealth Games.
Tom Dradiga, Rachael Zena Chebet, Esther Chebet, Dorcus Ajok and Belinda Chemutai have all earned global recognition across various disciplines.
- Guiding the next generation
Behind the scenes, the late Francis Demayi, a certified trainer and technical mastermind, played a pivotal role in mentoring athletes from 2009 until his retirement in 2024.
His leadership ensured continuity and excellence, leaving a deep bench of coaches prepared to guide the next generation.
- A legacy unbroken
As UPS athletes prepare for the Akii-Bua Memorial Championship, they do so with the weight of history and the hope of future glory.
From Odeke’s pioneering run to Kiprotich’s Olympic triumph, Uganda Prisons Athletics Club has not only weathered a century of change it has defined it.
In a nation celebrating 100 years of athletics, the Prisons Athletics Club remains a towering symbol of resilience, excellence and national pride.
Additional reporting from the Uganda Prisons Media team.
