Donald Rukare
Donald Rukare is a Ugandan lawyer and lecturer. He currently serves as the Chairperson of National Council of Sports of Uganda since 16 February 2020, as well as the President of Uganda Olympic Committee. He serves as an advocate of the High Court of Uganda and of recent served as the President of the Uganda Swimming Federation. He is currently the Chief of Party of the USAID Rights and Rule of Project in Uganda. On November 26, 2025, he was elected President of Commonwealth Sports.
Early life and education
Rukare graduated with a Doctor of Law from the University of Pretoria in South Africa, has a Masters of Law from Lund University Sweden, has post-graduate diplomas in international law, development and legal practice, a Bachelor of Laws from Makerere University as well as a master's degree in Sports Law from ISDE Law and Business School in Madrid. Donald also holds an Executive Masters in Sports Management from the University of Louvain, Belgium, and has taken leadership and strategic management courses at the Harvard Kennedy School of Government and Harvard Business School in the US, as well as an international sports law program at Cambridge University in the UK.Career
Corporate
Rukare has served in various positions such as a Head of Program Manager of European Union Human Right, as a Legal Advisor to Embassy of Ireland. He serves as an advocate of the High Court of Uganda, as a part-time lecturer in Sports Law at the Uganda Christian University in Mukono and is a regular guest faculty at the International Law Institute Kampala and the Center for Human Rights Pretoria University in South Africa. He is an external examiner at both Makerere University and Pretoria University. Rukare is a MEMOS lecturer of Governance teaching Sports Governance and Management on the International Olympic Committee Executive Masters Program. He also teaches International Sports Law at ISDE Law and Business School. He is currently the Chief of Party of the USAID Rights and Rule of Project in Uganda.Sports
Rukare has been a semi pro swimmer for 10 years and represented Uganda in swimming competitions. In 2005, he was elected as the president for Uganda Swimming Federation replacing Jerry Dralga. On 16 February 2020, Rukare was appointed by Minister of Sports to serve as the chairperson for National Council of Sports of UgandaIn February 2021, Rukare was elected as the President of Uganda Olympic Committee replacing William Blick.
In April 2025, he was appointed as interim president of the Commonwealth Games Federation following the resignation of Welshman Chris Jenkins until the election of a new president during the Commonwealth Games General Assembly in November.