Lyca marry into Ugandan Cricket family

How often do you attend a Ugandan-centred sports gathering graced by three Ministers from different dockets and three Members of the Sri Lanka Parliament?

One would be forgiven for thinking this line-up was for a sideline meeting of members taking part in the ongoing Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) assembly.

Such was the weight of personnel that Lycamobile, an 18 year old telecommunication company operating in 24 countries in five continents and with 16 million subscribers, put in the room at Kampala Serena Hotel on Monday night as they announced their long-term partnership with Uganda Cricket Association (UCA).

Trigger events

“This alliance arrives at a pivotal moment for the sport, aligning with the recent triumphs achieved by Uganda’s cricket teams,” UCA’s honorary secretary Jackson Kavuma, said – in light of the men’s historic qualification for the June 2024 T20 World Cup in USA and West Indies plus the women’s second qualification for the Global World Cup qualifiers scheduled for April in Dubai.

According to the women’s representative on the UCA board, Ritah Tinka, “the partnership is timely” and will lead the game to greater heights.

“Cricket is predominantly a men’s game but ‘besides’ every successful man, there’s a successful woman. This is our (Victoria Pearls) second Global qualifier and we shall follow you (Cricket Cranes) to the World Cup,” Tinka said.

The promise

Before those promises, the chief executive officer of Lyca, Choudary Vinay, had labeled the partnership “a historic moment for Uganda.”

“This is just the beginning and we shall give support to both the men and women’s teams. But first I want to congratulate the teams on their performance. Their commitment shows that this sport can go places,” Vinay said.

Lyca’s chief marketing officer Lal Vikram, spoke of their track record in supporting two successful cricket franchises in India and Sri Lanka.

The Sri Lanka side won three consecutive Lanka Premier League titles between 2020 and 2022.

“So what we promise includes bringing kits, and access to international coaches to work with the national cricket teams. This will ensure that Lyca (which launched in Uganda in 2020) and cricket grow together.” Vikram said.

The light moments

The Minister of State for Information, Communication and Technology Joyce Ssebugwawo promised to push Lyca into other sports.

“I am honored that among so many countries you operate in, Lyca chose to work with Uganda and in cricket.

But I am also going to push you to do other things in other sports beyond cricket,” Ssebugwawo said before her colleagues from cabinet lit up the room with stories.

State Minister for Sports Peter Ogwang signed the licence for Lyca to operate in Uganda when he was serving in Ssebugwawo’s docket in the past.

“When I signed the licence, I did not know that you (Lycamobile) would come and support me directly in sports. However, I want to request you as a partner to also work with secondary schools and universities to nurture talent,” Ogwang said as he also revealed his uneasy conversation with the President of Zimbabwe when he was assigned to pick the latter from the airport for the ongoing NAM summit. Zimbabwe was one of the casualties of Uganda’s qualification to the World Cup.

State Minister of Foreign Affairs Henry Okello Oryem had the room bursting into laughter when he narrated that he severally lied to the Visa office that he would support England in a match against India or Pakistan to secure Visa to England back in the early 90s.

“We loved cricket but the equipment was a bit expensive. So we would collect money to buy one bat for three people, draw stumps on the wall for a wicket then use a tennis ball.

But to avoid quarreling, we would put mud on the tennis ball to help us determine if it had hit the wickets,” Oryem, who was State Minister for Sports during a tumultuous time in early 2000s, said.