▪️He said the changes were made to accommodate the regional calendar ahead of the Commonwealth Games and Africa Elite Championships
May 13, 2026
The IBA Africa has rescheduled key regional tournaments, with Zone 4 moving to May 24-30 in Namibia and Zone 3 to June 1-7 in Gabon.
Announcing the new dates, the Interim President of IBA Africa, General Ferdinand Ilunga Luyoyo, said the championships have officially been moved forward to accommodate the regional calendar.
“Our work has started with the zonal events to be used as a build-up for Commonwealth Games and Africa Elite Championships,” said General Luyoyo who hinted the Africa Elite Championships might take place after the Commonwealth Games.
“We’re working quietly laying the groundwork avoiding unnecessary noise. Whatever we’re doing is in line with the objectives of our parent body IBA under President Kremlev,” said the Kinshasa-based Luyoyo.
The IBA Africa Zone 3 member countries are DR Congo, Kenya, Tanzania, Burundi, Cameroon, Congo Brazzaville, Ethiopia, Somalia, Gabon,Uganda, Rwanda, Chad, Equatorial Guinea and Central African Republic.
DR Congo are the Africa Zone 3 defending champions. They have won the event three times in a row, the latest in 2025 in Nairobi.
Eight countries have confirmed participation for Zone 4 Championships.
Luyoyo said IBA Africa will hold certification courses for IBA Star 1 coaches and IBA Star 1 and 2 R&Js in Namibia.
The following eight countries have confirmed participation:
1. Namibia 🇳🇦 13 men and 8 women
2. Malawi 🇲🇼 3 men and 2 women, 1 manager and 1 coach
3. Lesotho 🇱🇸 8 men and 4 women, executive rep, 1 manager, and 3 coaches
4. Zambia 🇿🇲 9 men and 8 women
5. Seychelles 🇸🇨 4 men, and 2 coaches
6. Comoros 🇰🇲 waiting for their team list
7. Eswatini 🇸🇿 waiting for their list
8. SANABO 🇿🇦 waiting for their list
Defending champions Mozambique is among the six countries yet to confirm participation. Here they are:
1. Botswana 🇧🇼
2. Madagascar 🇲🇬
3. Mauritius 🇲🇺
4. Mozambique 🇲🇿
5. Angola 🇦🇴
6. Zimbabwe
Mozambique won the five-nation 2025 Zone 4 Championships in Maputo with 10 gold, five silver and three bronze medals. Eswatini placed second 5-3-8 followed by Botswana 2-2-3, Lesotho 2-1-5 and wooden spoonists Seychelles 1-1-0.
Glamour girls Alcinda Dos Santos and Rady Gramane and Armando Sigauque were among the international boxers who won the 10 gold medals.
Alcinda defeated Eswatini’s Lindelwa Fakundze at light-middleweight in the finals, middleweight Gramane beat compatriot Rabia Pedro and Sigauque outpointed Lesotho’s Toka Litabe..
Mozambique therefore enters the ring with a massive target on their back, having cemented their status as a regional powerhouse. However, Namibia—fueled by a passionate home crowd and a desire to dominate on home soil—promises to turn the ring into a fortress.
With local pride on the line and elite bragging rights at stake, this tournament is set to be a war for regional supremacy.
