Chief of Defence Forces Gen. Muhoozi Kainerugaba has backed Uganda’s partnership with the Invictus Games Foundation, a collaboration aimed at strengthening rehabilitation and recovery opportunities for wounded, injured and sick service personnel. Uganda’s formal entry into the Invictus community as its 26th nation marks a significant step in expanding support for service members through adaptive sport and long-term recovery programmes.
PLU Press
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8 August 2026
Gen. Kainerugaba Backs Invictus Partnership as Uganda Strengthens Support for Wounded Soldiers.
Chief of Defence Forces Gen. Muhoozi Kainerugaba has welcomed Uganda’s growing partnership with the Invictus Games Foundation as the country strengthens efforts to support soldiers wounded, injured or affected by illness during service.
Gen. Kainerugaba Backs Invictus Partnership as Uganda Strengthens Support for Wounded Soldiers.
The partnership was initiated following engagement between the Uganda Peoples’ Defence Forces (UPDF) and the UK-based Invictus Games Foundation, with Gen. Kainerugaba hosting Foundation representatives at the Chieftaincy of Defence Intelligence and Security Headquarters in Mbuya in October 2025. The discussions focused on using sport to strengthen the physical and psychological rehabilitation of injured service personnel.
The collaboration has since developed into Uganda’s formal admission to the Invictus community. In July 2026, Uganda became the 26th nation to join the movement and the first country in East Africa to formally engage with the Foundation. Uganda has also confirmed its participation in the Invictus Games Birmingham 2027.
The Invictus Games Foundation supports wounded, injured and sick serving personnel and veterans through sport, peer support and recovery opportunities. Its programmes extend beyond the Games themselves, providing avenues for rehabilitation, community connection and long-term reintegration.
Gen. Kainerugaba Backs Invictus Partnership as Uganda Strengthens Support for Wounded Soldiers.
Uganda’s Minister of Defence and Veteran Affairs, Hon. Kiryowa Kiwanuka, credited President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni and Gen. Kainerugaba for championing the country’s entry into the Invictus community. He described the partnership as an affirmation that those who have borne the burdens of national service deserve opportunities to rebuild their lives with dignity, purpose and hope.
The partnership builds on earlier visits by Invictus representatives to Uganda, including engagements with wounded service personnel and their families and visits to existing sport-recovery facilities. The Foundation also visited veterans at the Mubende Defence Forces Rehabilitation and Vocational Centre and provided sports equipment as part of the developing cooperation.
For the Patriotic League of Uganda, the initiative reflects the importance of recognising the sacrifice of Uganda’s servicemen and women and ensuring that those injured in the course of duty receive meaningful support as they rebuild their lives.
Uganda’s participation in the Birmingham 2027 Invictus Games is expected to provide a further platform for wounded and injured service personnel to demonstrate resilience, strengthen camaraderie and represent the country on an international stage.
The growing cooperation with the Invictus Games Foundation therefore represents more than participation in a sporting event. It is part of Uganda’s wider effort to strengthen rehabilitation, recovery and reintegration pathways for those who have served the nation.
