The joy of the nations hauling in medal after medal at the "Birds Nest" stadium in Beijing China was something to behold. In just less than an hour Kenya had won two gold medals.

It was more than that. The second gold plus silver and bronze were won by three Kenyan ladies in one race. Only the US (and Jamaica - Ed) pulled off another such feat taking all three medals in one race.

I was in Beijing - courtesy of Coca Cola Company. Coke always does things in the superlative for its directors, employees or guests at the Olympics. Five-star hotels with everything on the house and seats at the stadium to die for.

I was at these seats at the finishing lines-where I sat watching the games wishing I was not a Ugandan. Our best athlete missed a medal by one. Our best swimmer came last in the first heat. Our best weight lifter did not lift one ounce.

He was disqualified. He soon resorted to what many blacks who fail in whatever they do like to hide under -- racial discrimination. The judges included black ones too. In one of the races by the end of the first lap, the Ugandan star was already bringing up the rear.

While I could see the Kenyans waving their flags as two of their boys were leading the pack, the sight of my man in the rear in my national colours forced me for a moment to bury my head in my hands. Luckily I did not have a Ugandan flag to wave. He finished the race but what a sorry figure he cut as he limped behind the triumphant Kenyans. Our entire performance in Beijing can only be summarised as "Uganda was also there."

Not all was lost in Beijing. We did our shopping, and plenty of it. One official bought a 26-inch television and wanted to carry it as hand-luggage on the plane. He was told to buy a second seat for his TV. He shipped it separately.

There were more officials than athletes, including the Chairman who knew he was sick yet insisted on travelling, only to be flown back home.Uganda has potential world-class sports people. Ugandans can win medals in international sports. So why do we not do so? The answers are many.

The most important reason is lack of interest in sports. There was a time when sports were taken seriously in this country. The Uganda Athletics competition was for the districts -- there were 16 districts, and the white man was in charge.

The long-distance runners came from Kigezi. The Langi dominated the track events. In schools, games were compulsory and competition among schools was encouraged.

All boys played football and athletics. The richer schools had cricket, tennis, hockey and swimming. Today in many schools there are no playing fields. Instead of developing the body, many children go for extra tuition so that when public examination results come out the school will look good by the passes in "A" Division. Developing the total child does not exist anymore.

In Kenya, the Chairman of Olympics fund-raising is traditionally the Chairman of Kenya Breweries. He raises money from among other companies and corporations. Twelve years ago I approached the Chairman of the Uganda Olympics Committee on behalf of Uganda Breweries with a view to help the Ugandan team going to Atlanta, USA.

I was told: "We will call you". In the last 12 years I have tried to meet with the Uganda Olympics Committee officials, the last attempt being in April this year. As I write this story, I have never met the Chairman or any official of Uganda Olympics Committee.

An official of the International Olympic Committee, Africa Region was here this year. He asked to meet me. He told me the reason my offer is not taken is that they are afraid that I would interfere with their current financial arrangements. They are content with the money the International Olympics Committee sends to Uganda and the cash supplement from the Government of Uganda.

That money comes too late and too little for training sports people. We in the corporate world will help raise funds for sports by way of equipment, accommodation, travel, etc., but we will never put our money where an official can dip his fingers into the cookie jar.

I am told that Uganda team to the Olympics includes archery. The Archery Committee consists of the following; the father is the chairman, the treasurer is the wife and the competitor is the daughter. If that is true, are we surprised that the Uganda Archery team did not even make the heat? But they were in Beijing -- perhaps shopping.

If my disappointment in the Birds Nest was bad, worse was to come from the streets of Beijing. A few of my compatriots are in jails in China mostly for carrying drugs. One person is doing life. These "mules" (carriers) are promised between US$3,000 - $5,000.

A woman swallowed pellets and the plastic burst. The drugs came out from behind while a dead body came out from the front. All this for money. Those arrested have "talked" and powerful names in Uganda are known in China.

The people behind the mules include "untouchables". We are in trouble. We have also hit the Red Light Districts. Speke Road has severe competition in Beijing. Ugandan ladies are doing trade big time.

The Beijing Olympics will linger in peoples' memories for years to come. I am glad I went. I climbed the Great Wall, visited the Forbidden City and wandered on Tiananmen Square.

For this occasion the Government of China opened up those things and places they wanted foreigners to see and that was plenty. To organise and be disciplined to execute what the Chinese did won my admiration.