The Swimming Maestro

Author: Festus Kibuuka

Peter Ssebanakitta learnt how to swim in Lake Victoria, at the Nabinonya beach in 1969 upon joining St. Mary’s College Kisubi in senior one. He was a member of Lourdel House.

The Nabinonya beach of the 60s and 70s was not as developed as it is today in terms of facilities. Back then, the beach doubled as SMACK’s swimming pool, where all students would run to after classes for their swimming sessions. Earlier on in the 1950s, the SMACK administration had had an attempt constructing an enclosed and protected swimming within the lakeside area at Nabinonya. The construction work was however abandoned as the lake continued expanding and taking up more land on the shores.

Peter and friend, the late Ssebugwawo, at Nabinonya Beach circa 1969.

During the 1970s, the diving board which had been erected under the swimming pool project still stood at about one hundred metres from the shore. For all the SMACK students of that time, going as far as the diving board was their key feat and was almost like getting a certificate in swimming. Indeed most students stopped at that point, satisfied at the aura that came with getting to the diving board. This was not the case for Peter and his classmate Godfrey Coutinho. In 1971, while in senior three, to the utter amazement of the other students, Peter and Godfrey determinedly swam across the Nabinonya Bay, covering about two kilometres. Although Brother Paul who oversaw swimming at SMACK then followed them in a speed boat just in case anything happened, the act of swimming so far for a senior three student was no mean feat at all. It turned out to be an early sign of the successful achiever that Peter would later become in sports and professional life.

From SMACK, Peter joined Makerere University (MUK). He was in University Hall (UH) from 1975 to 1979. While in UH Peter swam competitively and became captain of the his Hall team, and later the MUK team. He helped UH win all the University inter-hall competitions between 1975 and 1979. He set numerous records in his favorite events, the fifty and one hundred metre breaststroke. Peter was also a member of the Sharks Swimming Club which was the dominant club in the 1970s and 1980s.

Diving into the Makerere University Swimming Pool, 1975.

1n 2008, most SMACK alumni who know Peter were overjoyed when he was appointed the first Executive Director of Uganda National Roads Authority (UNRA), which he had successfully helped to set up and which he managed until his departure in 2013.

Due to the hectic schedule before and after joining UNRA, Peter was not very active in competitive swimming and, as he admits, he became a bit rusty. Upon leaving UNRA, however, he became an active Masters swimmer and picked up where he had left.

Peter in action in a 100 m Breaststroke race in June 2024.

At 68 years today, Peter is now retired from public service but is a very active member of the Formidables Swimming club, one of the top Masters Swimming Clubs in the country. He is one of the oldest active swimmers in the country. He regularly participates in the Masters Swimming competitions organized by the Uganda Swimming Federation and wins races against much younger swimmers. He has also represented the country in Regional Swimming competitions (Botswana, Zambia and Rwanda) as well as at the 2024 World Swimming Championships in Doha, Qatar, where he set several national records.

Peter (R), with teammates in Doha in February 2024.

Peter’s words of wisdom to the young folks: Pick a sport that you are passionate about and play it, even into your old age. You may not be as good at it as in your peak years, but the benefits you reap, including social networking and a healthy, active lifestyle, will give you a big return on investment.

Peter (in yellow top) officiating at a Masters Swimming event in Bugolobi, Kampala, in June 2024.