Overview:
Kho Kho sport is firmly rooted in Kampala, Mpigi, Masaka, Wakiso, Mukono and has of late spread drastically to Iganga, Luwero, Hoima, Kiryandongo, Kapchorwa, Soroti, Mukono, Butambala, Lira, Mbarara and now Mubende.
The Uganda Kho Kho Federation is a on vigorous exercise to spread this sport to the rest of the country.
A number of training engagements have been held for trainers (coaches) and officiating officials in the different districts of the country.
The latest stop was in Mubende district where a two day’s basic Kho Kho coaching course was conducted at Kaweeri primary school, organized by the sports officer Umar Twesigye.
As many as 52 games and sports teachers in Mubende district were given the basic Kho Kho coaching skills.
“We had a successful training of Kho Kho coaches in Mubende. This is a move meant to increase our reach as a sport to hit the 75% clause of National Sports Act.” Mustafa Nsubuga, the general secretary of Uganda Kho Kho Federation remarked.
The chief guest during the closing ceremony was Hon. Hope Granier Nakazibwe.
Hon. Nakazibwe promised to support the Kho Kho game in all venues and urged the local leaders in the district to embrace the game.
The town clerk, Paul Omoko vowed to support the game and urged all the games teachers to wholesomely embrace the sport, promising to visit the different schools that are promoting the sport.
Kho Kho sport is firmly rooted in Kampala, Mpigi, Masaka, Wakiso, Mukono and has of late spread drastically to Iganga, Luwero, Hoima, Kiryandongo, Kapchorwa, Soroti, Mukono, Butambala, Lira, Mbarara and now Mubende.
At the start of this year (January 2025), the Uganda female national won bronze during the first ever edition of the Kho Kho World Cup in India.
About Kho Kho sport:
Kho kho is a traditional South Asian sport that date to ancient India.
It is the second-most popular traditional tag game in the Indian sub-continent after Kabaddi.
Kho kho is played on a rectangular court with a central lane connecting two poles which are at either end of the court.
During the game, nine players from the chasing team (attacking team) are on the field, with eight of them sitting (crouched) in the central lane, while three runners from the defending team run around the court and try to avoid being touched.
Each sitting player on the chasing team faces the opposite half of the field that their adjacent teammates are facing.
At any time, one player from the chasing team (the ‘active chaser’/’attacker’) may run around the court to attempt to tag (touch) members of the defending team, with one point scored per tag, and each tagged defender required to leave the field; however, the active chaser cannot cross the central lane to access the other half of the field, and cannot change direction once they start running toward either pole.
The chasing team can get around these restrictions if the active chaser either switches roles with a sitting teammate (by touching them on the back while saying “Kho”) who is facing the other half of the court and therefore has access to it, or runs to the area behind either pole and then switches direction/half.
Each team has two turns to score and two turns to defend, with each turn lasting nine minutes. The team that scores the most points by the end of the game wins.
The sport is widely played across South Asia and also has a presence in other regions with a significant South Asian diaspora, such as South Africa and England.
It is played most often by school children, and is also a competitive sport.
The first franchise league for the sport, Ultimate Kho Kho was unveiled in India in August 2022.
