Uganda has officially been admitted into the Invictus Games community, becoming the 26th participating nation and the first East African country to join the global movement that uses sport to rehabilitate wounded and injured service personnel.
The announcement was made on July 7, 2026, during the 14th Invictus Games Foundation Conversation at Chatham House in London. The event, titled “From Policy to Practice,” brought together experts, policymakers, and members of the Invictus community as part of the one-year countdown to the 2027 Invictus Games in Birmingham.
The Invictus Games Foundation Patron, Prince Harry, the Duke of Sussex, welcomed Uganda’s admission, saying that he was incredibly pleased to welcome another nation into the Invictus Community.
“Growth has never been about numbers. It’s about reaching those who need us most. Building partnerships that last. And ensuring that no one feels they’re making this journey alone,” Prince Harry said.
The Minister of Defence and Veteran Affairs, Hon. Kiryowa Kiwanuka, expressed gratitude to the Invictus Games Foundation and its Patron, Prince Harry, for welcoming Uganda into the community.
“This milestone reflects our shared commitment to wounded, injured and sick servicemen and women who have sacrificed greatly in service to our nation,” said Hon. Kiwanuka.
Hon. Kiwanuka highlighted that the partnership affirms Uganda’s belief that “those who have borne the burdens of service deserve every opportunity to rebuild their lives with dignity, purpose, and hope”.
“They are our living heroes,” he added.
The minister credited President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni for his visionary leadership and the Chief of Defence Forces, General Muhoozi Kainerugaba, for championing Uganda’s entry into the Invictus community during the Invictus Games Foundation leadership visit to Kampala on October 10, 2025.
“Uganda’s admission as the first East African nation to formally engage with the Foundation is both an honour and a responsibility,” the minister said.
“We look forward to learning from other member nations while contributing our own experience to the global Invictus movement.”
Hon. Kiwanuka confirmed that Uganda will compete at the Birmingham Games in 2027.
The partnership follows a formal agreement signed between the Uganda Peoples’ Defence Forces and the Invictus Games Foundation in October 2025 to enhance rehabilitation services for wounded soldiers. The Foundation had previously conducted a visit to Uganda to assess existing sport recovery facilities and meet with wounded service personnel and their families.
The Invictus Games Foundation has previously visited veterans at the Mubende Defence Forces Rehabilitation and Vocational Centre and provided them with sports equipment.
