Uganda is stepping up efforts to use sport to rehabilitate wounded and injured soldiers, with Chief of Defence Forces Gen. Muhoozi Kainerugaba playing a key role in the country’s growing partnership with the Invictus Games Foundation.
The collaboration brings together the Uganda Peoples’ Defence Forces (UPDF) and the global organisation founded around the use of sport to support the physical and psychological recovery of wounded, injured and sick service personnel and veterans.
Gen. Kainerugaba previously hosted Invictus Games Foundation representatives at the Chieftaincy of Defence Intelligence and Security Headquarters in Mbuya, where discussions centred on strengthening rehabilitation programmes for wounded UPDF personnel.
The Invictus delegation included David Wiseman and Helen D’Oley, while the wider engagement also involved meetings with President Yoweri Museveni and senior government officials.
The partnership subsequently developed into a formal agreement aimed at enhancing rehabilitation services and creating opportunities for adaptive sports and wellness programmes for injured soldiers.
The Invictus team also visited the UPDF Defence Forces Rehabilitation and Vocational Centre in Mubende, where officials witnessed rehabilitation activities and the determination of soldiers recovering from injuries sustained during service.
For Uganda, the partnership has now moved beyond discussions.
In July 2026, the country was formally admitted as the 26th nation in the Invictus Community, becoming the second African country in the movement and the first East African nation to formally join. Uganda also confirmed that it will participate in the Invictus Games Birmingham 2027.
Invictus Games Foundation Chief Executive Officer Rob Owen welcomed Uganda's admission, saying the organisation wants to expand sport-based recovery opportunities to countries where they can make a significant difference. The Foundation has also provided Uganda with an initial £15,000 development grant for sports equipment and recovery activities.
Uganda’s Minister of Defence and Veteran Affairs, Kiryowa Kiwanuka, credited Gen. Kainerugaba with championing the country's entry into the Invictus Community.
He said the partnership reflects Uganda’s commitment to giving wounded and injured servicemen and women opportunities to rebuild their lives with dignity, purpose and hope.
The development gives Uganda’s wounded soldiers a new sporting pathway, with adaptive sports expected to become an important part of rehabilitation, recovery and reintegration.
As preparations begin for Birmingham 2027, the focus is now shifting from partnership to participation, with Uganda preparing to send its first team to the international stage.