African Sports Monthly International Women's Day Special Edition | Page 26

Peninnah Kabenge Aligawesa a Rising Star in
the African Sports Landscape
When you look across the sports landscape in Africa, women are far and few in between the numerous
associations and agencies that are out there serving their countries and communities. You however will
come across a few of the rare gems in women sports administrators who brave the odds and stand tall
amongst men doing what they do, and there are no better examples than Peninnah Kabenge Aligawesa
who is the current head of Sports and Recreation at Makerere University in Uganda. Peninnah is well
known in University sports circles on the continent and beyond where she also serves as the Secretary
General of the Federation of African University Sports. She shines brightly as a tireless advocate for the
growth of University sports on the continent and whether she may be aware or not she also stands tall
for African women in Sports on the continent. As a brave and tireless ambassador for women and girls
across the continent we celebrate her this International Women’s Day; March 8 th 2016. We caught up
with Peninnah to get an idea of what her life looks like as a sports administrator and how she sees
herself as a role model for other women and girls who have a desire to be actively involved in the
administrative side of sports on the continent.

African Sports Monthly (ASM): Tell us how long you have been in sports
and how it all started for you?

Peninnah: I have been in sports since my childhood having been born in

a sporting family. My dad and mum loved sports and encouraged us to try every
sport when we were kids. This was complimented by the fact that I grew up
amongst boys and played alongside them in their games. I have six brothers;
two who are younger than me and four older who are older. So I guess
they influenced me a lot to get involved in sports.

ASM: Which of the sports discipline is your favorite?

Peninnah: I love basketball, particularly for the thrills and challenges
it provides.

ASM: You are involved mostly with student sports, especially the

Federation of Africa University Sports (FASU) tell us how you got to
be involved and what role you play in that very important
organization for the African continent?

Peninnah: I got involved in student sports way back as a student

athlete during my school days. All my life I took up administrative posts right from high school