Sport mourns triple loss

Kampala.

Although the local cricketing fraternity will hurt most, this week will go into sporting records as the worst in years.
In just a space of 24 hours, death claimed two ‘larger-than-life’ sports personalities-cum-adminstrators. Veteran administrator Justine Ligyalingi Snr died on the spot on Monday evening (around 7pm) after a vehicle he was travelling in from a burial in Butaleja rammed into a sugar cane truck around Magamaga (between Iganga and Jinja) as the driver swerved to avoid a head-on collision with a bus coming from Kampala.

His wife died an hour after reaching Jinja Hospital. One of the deceased’s sons Moses and another unnamed young man, who was driving have both had their arms amputated and hope is they will be out of trouble.

Ligyalingi Snr, father to Uganda Cricket Association (UCA) CEO Justine Ligyalingi and hockey-playing Dan Ligyalingi, also a former vice-chairman of UCA, is remembered for having mentored many sportsmen hence the name, ‘Father of cricket in Busoga Kingdom’.
“He should have been 80 at the time of his death. He has been all over every sport but it is cricket that stayed with him longer since 1982 to-date when he still looked out for Jinja Association of Cricket Clubs (JACC),” said 76-year-old Pithy Ndiko, an old friend of the late with whom he shared many life stories.

“I remember his kindness and insistence on things. Like when he would say, I will train these boys cricket until they’re good, he would do it.

“His organisational powers were also high. He promised to visit me at my home in Bukonte (Jinja) for my wife’s memorial service on Sunday but when he didn’t come now I realise he was involved in that burial.”

Ligyalingi Snr was a renowned cricketer (middle-order batsman and medium pace), athlete, footballer, netball coach among other disciplines and a no-nonsense administrator.

Azuba collapse

And with the sports lovers yet to deal with the pain of Ligyalingi Snr’s passing, death reared its ugly head again yesterday morning and claimed multi-faceted Eng Chris Henry Azuba.

The Assistant Commissioner at The Development Directorate of the Ministry of Environment and Water at the time of his death, collapsed after an organ failure and died as he was being rushed from his home in Kireka to Case Hospital in Kampala. Azuba, a brother to golfing sisters (Monica Ntege - Minister of Transport & Works) and Rose Azuba, is arguably the longest-serving secretary of UCA, a pioneer member of the UCA Umpires and Scorers Association.

He also enjoyed a fruitful career as a basketballer with the all-conquering Blue Jackets then where he played alongside former Daily Monitor Sports Editor Mark Ssali and mentored players such as Silverbacks national captain Stephen Omony. Rest in Peace!

Ligyalingi and wife

FUNERAL ARRANGEMENTS
Today – Oct 19
*Service at St James Church Jinja, 12pm.
The remains will thereafter be transported
to Magoola Village – Bugiri for ovigil.
Tomorrow – October 20
*Funeral Service starts at 12pm
*Burial at 2pm

Chris Henry Azuba
FUNERAL ARRANGEMENTS
Today – Oct 19
*Night vigil at his home in Kireka
Friday – Oct 21
*Funeral Service at 12pm
*Burial at Naluwubi Kamuli at 2pm

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