Summary:

• Joshua Cheptegei expressed frustration over the government’s failure to fulfill promises to athletes, including unpaid arrears and uncompleted projects like the High Altitude Training Centre. His remarks highlighted growing dissatisfaction among Ugandan athletes regarding unfulfilled commitments.

Joshua Cheptegei, Uganda’s celebrated athlete, voiced his frustration over the government’s failure to honor promises made to athletes. Speaking at the inauguration of the High Altitude Training Centre in Teryet on December 11, Cheptegei, who represented his fellow athletes, expressed disappointment over unmet commitments.

The event, officiated by President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, also honored athletes from Sebei, the region known for producing top talent. Cheptegei reminded the president of a directive issued in 2018 to settle athletes’ arrears, a promise that has yet to be fulfilled. “Mzee, I want you to know that the directive you gave in 2018 has not been honoured,” Cheptegei said, further challenging claims that the arrears had been paid. “I want those who say I received the money to come and say it here.”

The High Altitude Training Centre, which was initially promised in 2010 after Moses Kipsiro’s gold at the Commonwealth Games, is only now nearing completion in late 2024. Another unfulfilled promise dates back to 2012, after Stephen Kiprotich’s Olympic gold, when President Museveni vowed monthly stipends for athletes excelling in major tournaments—UGX 5 million for gold, UGX 3 million for silver, and UGX 1 million for bronze.

Cheptegei revealed that he is owed over UGX 400 million in unpaid arrears and is ready to provide bank statements to back his claim. Peter Ogwang, the State Minister for Sports, admitted that some arrears remain unsettled but suggested they were from before Janet Museveni’s tenure as Minister of Education and Sports, a statement that unsettled some athletes present.

Cheptegei’s candid remarks reflect the growing frustration among Ugandan athletes, who feel their contributions to national pride are not being adequately recognized or rewarded.