Badminton team misses flight due to heavy traffic

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The National Badminton team delegation to Gaborone, Botswana for the 2026 All Africa Senior championship scheduled for 9th-15 February missed their Saturday night flight due to heavy traffic at the Northern bypass.

According to the team members, there was absolutely no movement on the route that is usually fast and an alternative to Kampala traffic.

The team that comprises six girls and boys was flagged off on Friday at the National Council of Sports (NCS) on Friday.

Uganda that faces off with 17 countries seeks to better their performance from the previous edition, where Uganda managed two bronze medals in singles and doubles.

According to Kakeeto Gonzaga, the delegation’s media attaché, the team will not take part in the team event after missing their flight but will wait for the singles folowing their departure on Monday.

With a mix of experienced and inexperienced players, Uganda will feature in both singles and doubles.

Three of last year’s squad members that were in Cameroon; Amos Muyanja who was captain retired, Kenneth Comfort Mwambu failed to qualify while Augustus Owiny retired and went abroad for greener pastures.

In the women category, Uganda star girl Husinah Kobugabe, a regular on the team misses trip due to injury with Kuluthum Nalumansi coming in to pair Shamika Fadilah Muhammad in the women’s doubles.

However, there is too much hope in the rising stars who have graduated to the squad as replacements in the boys side.

Arafat Kibirige Tendo, Akbar Oduka, Denis Mukasa have previously featured at the World Junior championship in China and India.

Uganda, Nigeria, Botswana, Algeria, Egypt, South Africa, Mauritius, Cameroon, Burundi, DR. Congo, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Lesotho, Madagascar, Seychelles, Zambia and Zimbabwe are the countries set to grace the 2026 championship.

At the previous edition in Cameroon, Tracy Naluwooza and Shamika Fidilah Muhammad Rafi won bronze in the women doubles before Fadilah went ahead to win bronze in women’s singles.

The best team in both women and men will represent the continent at BWF Thomas and Uber Cup Finals set for Sunday 26th April – 3rd May 2026 in Horsens, Denmark.