Uganda’s motorsport family has another reason to celebrate!
Hellen Bukenya Namatovu has earned a prestigious nomination in the Sports Leadership, Governance and Administration category of the 50 Most Influential recognition — a powerful spotlight on her tireless work in motorsport development and women’s empowerment in sport.
This is not just a nomination. It is recognition for the woman who works behind the scenes to keep Ugandan motorsport moving.
THE WOMAN BEHIND THE SCENES
While drivers and riders grab the headlines on race day, it is administrators like Namatovu who keep the sport organised, structured and alive.
She currently serves as a Competition Secretary of the Uganda MotorSport Safety and Marshals Association (UMSSMA) — the backbone of safety and officiating in Ugandan motorsport — where she plays a central role in administration, organisation and coordination.
But her impact goes even further.
Namatovu is also a treasure at Women in Motorsport Uganda (WIMU), an organisation dedicated to promoting women’s participation and championing the welfare of ladies in motorsport.
Through WIMU, she is helping to break barriers in a traditionally male-dominated sport — creating a safer, more supportive environment and opening doors for more female competitors, officials and stakeholders to thrive.
WHY THIS NOMINATION MATTERS
Her nomination places her among Uganda’s most influential personalities in sports leadership — and it tells a bigger story:
That women are no longer just participating in motorsport. They are leading it. Organising it. Shaping its future.
For Namatovu, this is a milestone and a moment to shine a light on all the women working in sports leadership and administration — the unsung heroes who rarely get the applause but do the heavy lifting.
As Uganda’s motorsport community continues to grow, her work across both UMSSMA and WIMU reflects a new reality: women are now at the centre of the sport, not just on the sidelines.
