KICC, Tornado Bee will be key in deciding Ansasiira - Nsibuka III
Ansasiira (L) greets Nsibuuka (R) as Tornado Bee delegate Kibuukamusoke looks on. PHOTO BY JOHN BATUNUDDE
KAMPALA- The atmosphere could be still politically tense at Kati Kati Restaurant even days after the Uganda Cricket Association (UCA) elective general assembly failed to produce a new chairman Saturday.
The highly-billed election between incumbent Bashir Ansasiira and his head of finance Paul Nsibuka ended in a unique draw after each polled eight votes from the 16-vote electoral college made of eight-member clubs.
That left the partisan club delegates and gallery in awe, tension and relentless anticipation on UCA’s audited books were not adopted by the assembly.
But the eagerness will go on until February 16 when fraternity sits again at a Special General Meeting (SGM) to determine who will be new chairman. But Daily Monitor has learnt the election outcome could be a different tale then. Ansasiira and Nsibuka split the delegates with the former picking all votes from Nile, Premier, Africa and Wanderers. Nsibuka took Tornado, Tornado Bee, KICC and JACC.
In 2017, Ansasiira beat Nsibuka 9-7 with KICC and Tornado Bee on his side. The two Wanderers’ votes were split then.
On the elections’ eve last week, this paper has learnt that Tornado Bee delegates were hosted to a dinner by Ansasiira thinking he would get the vote.
But after sunrise, things turned upside down. Tornado Bee founder William Kibuukamusoke, who had been vocal during the AGM with dissatisfaction on the UCA audited accounts, went to vote with his son Jeremy Kibuukamusoke.
The latter is an ally with Ansasiira but it was not enough to have the incumbent’s name ticked.
Similarly, Ansasiira had had huge expectations with KICC but this paper understands his big confidant Mukesh Shukla didn’t turn up.
Instead, Hanumant Katkar and Amit Bhattacharji, who represented KICC voted for Nsibuka.
On the other hand, Africa Cricket Club (ACC) who were on Nsibuka’s side in 2017, were on Ansasiira end, much evidenced by their delegates’ Jackson Kavuma and Sylvester Rokani submissions during the AGM.
And somehow, Wanderers got intact, Adonia Waibale and Denis Musali voting Ansasiira.
The Ansasiira-Nsibuka III has gained more heat on grounds of a battle between the youth represented by Ansasiira and the old guards from which 52-year-old Nsibuka cuts his cloth.
There is also a chance that a third party could join the fray seeking to be UCA’s next chairman.
