Olympics committee to stick with Jjagwe’s UTTA
UTTA president Robert Jjagwe (C) addressing the assembly after being re-elcted at Kololo SS on Sunday.-PHOTO BY ABDUL NASSER SSEMUGABI
What you need to know:
- Ronald Nyaika defeated Muhammad Mkbaziira (in absentia) to the treasurer’s post, while Ronald Andira retained the secretary general post, unopposed.
- Blick also lauded the documentation of all UTTA’s business in the previous term and urged them to “internalise and execute…what you plan to do.”
KAMPALA. Robert Jjagwe enjoyed a landslide victory as he was re-elected as the president of Uganda Table Tennis Association (UTTA) but the biggest victory was maintaining the full backing of the Uganda Olympics Committee (UOC).
Hardly a year into his first two-year stint, Jjagwe’s executive accused him of “misuse of office,” among others, and when they failure to impeach him, Douglas Kayondo and Hilary Kimbugwe formed a rival faction amid court battles.
Both federations have claimed legitimacy. UOC backed Jjagwe’s while the National Council of Sports (NCS) supported Kayondo’s. On Sunday, Jjagwe, unsurprisingly, enjoyed a landslide victory, polling 28 votes against Dan Michael Minjo’s two. The general assembly adopted four years instead of the two, for the term of office.
Mandate
UOC promotes Olympics, Commonwealth and All-Africa Games at both junior and senior levels, hence: “It’s the executive that’s going to be elected here today that we as UOC are going to recognise and work with, going forward,” said newly re-elected UOC president William Blick said at Kololo SS, Sunday.
As an election observer, alongside International Table Tennis Federation’s Andrew Mudibo and Tom Kigundu, Blick added, “It’s unfortunate NCS sided with Kayondo’s rival association but as UOC, we recognise and we shall stick with the one that’s elected here, today as the legitimate body to run table tennis in Uganda.”
Blick added: “Wrangles and court battles are not good for sport; they deter progress and scare away potential sponsors, and it’s unfortunate NCS has dragged UOC to court but we won’t let this mess derail our cause.” Blick was re-elected Saturday in a process bitterly disputed by NCS.
Ronald Nyaika defeated Muhammad Mkbaziira (in absentia) to the treasurer’s post, while Ronald Andira retained the secretary general post, unopposed. Blick also lauded the documentation of all UTTA’s business in the previous term and urged them to “internalise and execute…what you plan to do.”
