Four Security Agencies to Compete in Inter-Forces Games in Gulu

What the report says

Uganda’s security agencies are set to gather in Gulu City for the 18th Inter-Forces Games and Shooting Championship, a two-week event designed to promote fitness, discipline and closer cooperation among the services. The competition brings together teams from the Uganda Peoples’ Defence Forces (UPDF), Uganda Police Force, Uganda Prisons Service and Uganda Wildlife Authority, with the UPDF hosting this year’s edition under the theme “Building Synergy through Sports.”

According to the Ministry of Defence and Veterans Affairs, the games are meant to support operational readiness by giving personnel a setting to train, compete and interact outside their normal duties. Officials also say the event may help improve camaraderie across the agencies and contribute to better civil-military relations by opening parts of the programme to the public in Gulu and nearby areas.

The championship is scheduled to run from August 22 to September 5, 2026, with the opening ceremony planned for August 24 at St Joseph’s College Layibi and the closing ceremony at the same venue on September 4. Competitions will include football, volleyball, handball, netball, athletics, taekwondo, darts and range shooting, with both men’s and women’s categories in selected events.

The ministry said the games also serve as a platform to identify sporting talent within the security services and support the health and wellbeing of personnel. The previous edition was hosted by the Uganda Police Force in 2023, reflecting the rotational arrangement among the participating agencies.