By Prosper Gibolo
Karamoja Regional Districts Sports Officers have blamed their poor performance in the recently concluded National Kids Athletics and Special Needs Education (SNE) Championship 2025 on lack of sporting equipment and cold weather.
The National Kids Athletics and SNE Championship held at Kigezi High School in Kabale between 4 and 11 May 2025, attracted 169 teams from districts, municipalities, and cities.
Karamoja region was represented by the districts of Nakapiripirit, Amudat, Karenga, Abim, Moroto Municipality, Nabilatuk, Kotido Municipality, Moroto, and Napak at the national championship.
The event saw Agago district emerging as the overall winners for the second consecutive year after collecting 47,381 points. Terego district came in 2nd with 45,176 points while Amolatar district became 3rd with 40,943 points.
Other districts ranked among the top ten include Yumbe, Busia, Adjumani, Kiryandongo, Ssembabule, Kyenjojo, and Amuru.
Amudat district emerged as the best-performing district from the Karamoja sub-region, being ranked at position 18th, followed by Karenga, Kaabong, and Napak districts which claimed 50th, 56th, and 65th slots in the national rankings.
Abim district was ranked 100th, Moroto Municipality 101st, Nabilatuk 105th, Kotido Municipality 145th, Moroto district 147th, Nakapiripirit 162nd respectively.
Reacting to the dismaying performance , Immaculate Cyizakora, the District Sports Officer Karenga, said that Karamoja athletes could not adapt easily to the cold weather of Kabale district, unlike the hot sunshine of the Karamoja region.
Without divulging details, she added that Karenga district’s performance declined from the previous championships.
Meanwhile, Kevin Wasike, the games and sports teacher at Kosike Primary School, said his district performed poorly due to a lack of early preparations for the athletes before the national championships.
