As Uganda Aquatics prepares to host the 11th edition of the National Swimming Championships from July 2-5 at Kampala International School Uganda (KISU), the federation received another significant boost with Kansai Plascon Uganda announcing an expanded partnership that officials believe will accelerate the growth of the sport.
The partnership was officially reaffirmed on Wednesday during the launch of the national championships at the Uganda Aquatics offices, where federation leaders and Plascon executives outlined an ambitious collaboration that stretches beyond this week’s championships and into Uganda’s growing international swimming ambitions.
For Uganda Aquatics President Moses Mwase, the announcement was more than just a sponsorship deal; it was a vote of confidence in the federation’s long-term vision.
“I think as many of you are aware, Plascon is leading in the area of partnering with sports, and their assumption of aquatics a year ago is something that has also made us proud.
“So we are really exploring how we can continue to enjoy this beneficial relationship,” Mwase said.
The partnership immediately extends to one of Uganda Aquatics’ biggest assignments this year, hosting the Zone III Swimming Championships, where Uganda will be defending the regional title it has held for the past four editions.
“Plascon has undertaken to work with us and support us in the hosting of that event,” Mwase revealed. “I think many of you are aware we’re the defending champions for the last four editions, and we hope to continue defending it here on home turf.”
The federation also disclosed that discussions with Plascon have already gone beyond the current calendar, with the paint manufacturer expressing interest in supporting Uganda’s first-ever National Open Water Swimming Championships.
“This year, we want to host our very first National Open and Plascon has said that’s something they’re very interested in. We had a conversation about our first National Open Water Swimming Championships, and Plascon again said this was very exciting.”
The announcement reflects growing confidence between the two organisations, with Mwase praising Plascon for recognising the untapped potential within Ugandan swimming.
“I think Plascon is one of the corporate citizens that has really understood the value of supporting athletes and of working with us to unlock the potential that exists.”
He believes the partnership could become a catalyst for attracting more private sector investment into aquatics.
“Having Plascon working with us side by side gives us a lot of confidence, and we hope this will also encourage other corporates. These corporates who just peep into our doorway and say they will come back. We believe that exhibiting the Plascon brand, which is very rich, well recognised and respected, will enable us to have more people come through the door.”
Kansai Plascon Uganda Managing Director, Santosh Gumte, said the company’s investment is rooted in a belief that sport is one of the strongest platforms for youth development and national unity.
“Plascon has always tried to contribute in trying to help the youth, especially in sports, because we believe that sports really help in youth empowerment. It brings a sense of unity and also brings communities together.”
He added that Uganda possesses enormous sporting talent that often lacks sufficient financial backing.
“It gives us a chance to support people who are struggling to get the financial support that they need to perform. There are really very talented people here in Uganda.”
The company hopes its support will help produce athletes capable of succeeding on the international stage.
“We are very proud that we are partnering with Uganda Aquatics and trying to promote aquatic sports in Uganda. We really hope that out of these platforms, there will be some very good athletes who will outperform and make Uganda proud at the international level.”
Plascon announced a Shs100 million package for 2026, comprising both cash and in-kind support.
“Our support this year for 2026 is on some key tournaments, and we are currently looking at 100 million shillings support,” Gumte said. “As we progress year on year, we will start looking at increasing that budget.”
According to Daniel Kayongo, the package includes media support, event activations and cash funding that the federation will allocate across its various programmes.
“The package from Plascon, the 100 million shillings, includes both cash and in-kind support, which will include media support, on-ground support in terms of activations and creating a very exciting environment, but also includes a large amount of that as cash.”
Kayongo explained that Uganda Aquatics will determine how the funds are distributed across its priority activities.
“It is upon the discretion of the federation to split the funds across the different activities. We understand that the need is significant.”
Even with the sizeable commitment, Kayongo acknowledged that more investment is still required to meet the federation’s ambitions.
“Even with the 100 million shillings offered, we know that the need is still much greater than that, and we’re hoping that other partners will come on board.”
One of the reasons Plascon chose to deepen its investment, Kayongo noted, is the confidence it has developed in Uganda Aquatics’ governance.
“We are proud of the fact that the federation has demonstrated transparency, proper organisation and proper structures. So we are confident that the funds will be put to the right use.”
That confidence comes at an important time for Uganda Aquatics, which is preparing for a packed international calendar that includes the Commonwealth competitions, the Dakar Youth Olympic pathway, the World Aquatics Short Course Championships in Beijing and the Zone III Championships that Uganda will host later this year.