(South Africa) – When you think of a police officer, images of ticketing errant parkers, chasing down petty thieves or in the case of Uganda, teargasing peaceful protestors might spring to mind. But Kampala Police Force’s own PC Amongi Rebecca is breaking stereotypes and turning heads down in South Africa.
PC Amongi recently conquered the mixed martial arts (MMA) arena in Johannesburg, South Africa, proving that she’s not just good with handcuffs. Facing off against Africa’s 3rd seed, Kuikstra, in the flyweight division, she delivered a technical knockout in the second round that left fans and fighters alike in disbelief. Kuikstra’s defeat was so decisive that one might think he was tackled by a charging herd of buffalo during the annual migration.
The excitement did not stop there. Thanks to this knockout performance, PC Amongi is now sipping on victory juice alongside being catapulted to an even higher promotion. She will now be battling it out with Africa’s elite fighters in Ghana and Nigeria. It is like she’s been promoted from serving local tea at the police station to making diplomatic visits with the world’s best tea makers.
The Uganda Police Force, never one to miss an opportunity to bask in glory, took to social media to celebrate Amongi’s achievement. They are practically bursting with pride, and who can blame them? It is not every day you get to announce that one of your own has turned an international MMA event into a showcase for Ugandan talent. Next, they might be showing off her skills on a billboard, right next to the “Don’t drink and drive” sign.
In a country where police officers are often in the limelight for reasons ranging from topping corruption rankings, managing traffic to taking bribes from each and every one, PC Amongi’s triumph is a breath of fresh air. It is not every day that an officer’s success makes headlines for reasons other than enforcing or “mis-enforcing” the law. The pride is palpable, and the comparisons to Uganda’s legendary figures like President Museveni’s dancing skills are probably already being made.
But let us not get too carried away. With her upcoming fights in Ghana and Nigeria, PC Amongi will need to keep her guard up—not just in the octagon, but also in the realm of celebrity status. After all, being a national hero can be as precarious as balancing on the edge of a boda boda in traffic.
We at The Ankole Times wish PC Amongi Rebecca the best—may her fists be as swift as her rise to fame. We hope that Uganda watches, cheers, and keeps a close eye on her progress, the next time someone mentions “police” they will be thinking of other than top rankings on annual corruption lists.
