Bakkabulindi: Chance to cement real legacy

By the time he is done, Bakkabulindi will be the longest serving sports minister in Ugandan history. He has, however, got to make that piece of history count for more than just time. Ugandan sports administrators are known to act out of defiance, be reactionary. Time to buck the trend by getting proactive, heeding to advice and proving the cynics wrong. Photo BY ISMAIL KEZAALA

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He should step to the forefront to engage all those willing wallets in efforts to actually ‘manufacture’ and nurture these Kiprotichs, not just wait to reward them

Had the ministerial posts that are directly handed down by the president of the country instead been subject to a vote within each fraternity, let us just say that Charles Bakkabulindi would find it nigh on impossible to retain his sports portfolio.
As it is though, in the ever changing political world whose dynamics some might argue are far more intricate than the simple ballot, Bakkabulindi has survived four reshuffles and should have his place as the longest serving sports minister in the country’s history by the time he is done.
I know of many who would desperately want it, but since it is increasingly apparent that calling for the man’s sacking would be a waste of valuable breath, I will instead appeal to his conscience; despite the skepticism from a couple of cynics I spoke with immediately after social media had gone awash with the not-so-new cabinet list, I believe there is one in there, somewhere.

It would be easy for Bakkabulindi to laugh in the faces of all the dissenting voices, pour scorn on their powerlessness, and defiantly/triumphantly let things within the sports fraternity continue as they are. But surely he too must occasionally be stung by all the criticism and must surely want for his reign to count for more than just the number of years spent at the helm? He too must want a more lasting legacy, and must be a tad grateful that he still has the opportunity to cement it?
The eternal optimist in me will ignore all the sniggering at the back and focus on pointing out to Bakkabulindi what, among other things, I believe he must to do fortify that legacy.

Tangible development
Gazumped by the priorities of the all-important Education mother ministry and also in light of the general budget constraints of the country, Sports does not get anywhere near as much government funding as is necessary to get even the most basic of jobs done.
And that is where Bakkabulindi can get to think outside the box and consciously work towards getting other development partners on board, from the local private sector to a diaspora of endless prospects, most of them institutionalised.
Generally Uganda is buying into a future of Public Private Partnerships and a law to guide the nation into that future should have been enacted by now, but will all the same soon be. Many other sectors have however embraced that future already, from Health, through Local Government and Works, to Energy and others in between. Using the mandate of his office, Bakkabulindi must lure in partners to help with financing, constructing and management (where either is necessary) in the areas of sports facilities, development projects (academies and schools of excellence), institutions, and even teams and individuals.

Just for one, the media was flooded with stories of the proposed revamp of Namboole, Nakivubo, Mbarara’s Kakyeka, Bugembe, Mbale, Pece and other such stadiums, monuments of Uganda’s sports heritage, historical breeding grounds for the country’s most revered talent, and symbols of identity for our communities. There is not a better invitation than this. And just for another, Bakkabulindi must move from being prominent in the background at Entebbe Airport or at State House when government, the corporate world, philanthropic individuals and ordinary citizens gather to welcome and pamper a Stephen Kiprotich following some world-beating feat.
He should step to the forefront to engage all those willing wallets in efforts to actually ‘manufacture’ and nurture these Kiprotichs, not just wait to reward them.
Conflict resolution
Also, rather than sit back and watch bemused or disinterested, get involved either halfheartedly or in a most partisan way, Bakkabulindi must create and lead a well selected and powerful Arbitration Team to immediately embark on a thorough clean-up job of the National Council Of Sports and its affiliate, feuding federations, one by one.

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