Babirye promises to develop netball from the grassroots

Sarah Babirye Kityo will return to all subregions she visited to gather and incoporate visions of the grassroots for the future of netball in the country.

Babirye on Saturday garnered 184 votes to trounce Jocelyn Ucanda (41 votes) and Christine Nampijja (five votes) and assume Uganda Netball Federation presidency.

All candidates from Babirye’s camp  registered victories to completely wipe out her predecessor Susan Anek’s “disciples.”
Anek, who was constitutionally barred after serving three terms, had endorsed She Cranes and NIC team manager Ucanda with other leaders.

Babirye’s vision
Babirye promised get a home for netball, lobby for sponsorship, professionalise the game and develop it from the grassroots, increase capacity building, and develop infrastructure.

“I’m a person who wants to leave a legacy wherever I serve, so the netball fraternity should expect service,” she said.
“People have loved me to the extent of voting whoever I recommended. Now it is the time for me and my cabinet to pay back for their overwhelming trust.”

Developing the game from the grassroots is her priority – she hopes to do so by liaising with district sports officers.
“We need a team that can popularise the sport through district, regional and corporate leagues,” she said.

Assessing the distrubution of netball in the country, Babirye said she was dismayed that Anek had not popularised the sport in her own northern region.

“Lango and Acholi women have embraced women football, not netball. How can you be a president and not take the game to your people?” she asked.

Brig. Flavia Byekwaso, who trounced Annet Kisomose for position of vice president for administration, said she is keen to take netball outside Kampala.

“Netball shouldn’t only be played in Kampala. It should also be played in other districts to help in it’s growth. We will see changes in this sport,” she said.

Byekwaso also promised to lobby for netball at the frontline.

“Netball is seventh in the world yet we get only Shs2b on the sports budget. This is unfair. We’ll lobby for more funding from the government,” she said.

UNF Exco

President
Sarah Babirye
VP - Admin
F. Byekwaso
VP - Technical
R. Muhumuza
Gen. Sec.
Amina Mande
Asst. Gen. Sec
Harriet Apolot
Treasurer
Aidah Kibedi
Publicity
Yahaya Sengabi
Northern 
Richard Ojuku
Eastern
R. Mudhasi
Kampala 
Rosette Kaala
Western
B. Kweberera
Central
Robert Kibira

[email protected]