Minister orders NCS to keep Babirye out of office

The First Lady and Minister of Education and Sports Janet Museveni has ordered the National Council of Sports (NCS to keep the Uganda Netball Federation (UNF) president Sarah Babirye Kityo out of office following questions of accountability which saw her suspended.

In a letter dated October 4, 2023, Janet Museveni asked NCS to "formally direct NCS who are the regulators of sports in Uganda, to execute and invoke the relevant provisions of the law to ensure strict compliance of the same in respect to UNF.”

"To immediately withdraw the certificate of recognition from the UNF, should they fail to meet the requirements of a national sports federation," the statement adds.

Earlier this year, Janet Museveni chaired two meetings with Babirye and other netball officials, the minister of state for sports, attorney general, the Inspectorate of Government, ministry officials and NCS.

That April meeting resolved that Babirye take a leave of absence until investigations by the auditor general’s office and Police’s Criminal Investigations Department are concluded.

However, Babirye earlier returned to office on July 21 before the issue was resolved. She claimed to have served her 90-day leave.

This caused a fracas at the federation offices as security personnel deployed by the acting president Brig. Gen. Flavia Byekwaso were asked to stand following a string of phone calls that eloped in the minister of internal affairs Gen. Kahinda Otafiire.

“I am waiting for the Report from the Criminal Investigations Department of the Uganda Police Force, to inform me of my further action on the subject matter,” she states.

“However, I have received reports that the President of Uganda Netball Federation forcefully entered the office of the Federation situated at Plot 1721, Old Kampala Road, Aga Khan Building, in Kampala before the investigations were concluded.

“In the interim, Brigadier General Flavia Byekwaso should continue to act in the position of Acting President of the Uganda Netball Federation, in line with my earlier directive dated the 24th of July 2023, until further guidance is provided by my office upon receipt of the report from criminal investigation department of the Uganda Police Force.”

Amidst this fight, the national league is due to start on October 20 while the national team – the She Cranes – are relishing a competitive Africa Netball Championship next month in Mozambique.

"We wrote to NCS about taking part in the African Championships but we haven't received a response. We shall go on to prepare for the competition and work hard to see that we get support from sponsors and well-wishers," Babirye told NTV recently.