NIC, Weyonje fight for Netball star Nanyonga
Nice banner? Nanyonga says she is still with NIC. Photo | Regina Nalujja
What you need to know:
A picture’s worth. A picture of Rachael Nanyonga posing with Makindye Weyonje official Ronald Nakabaale appears to have started the speculation of a potential move by the She Cranes goal attacker.
Netball giants National Insurance Corporation (NIC) have trashed reports that their goal attacker Rachael Nanyonga is on her way to ambitious national league side Makindye Weyonje.
NIC manager Jocelyn Ucanda said they have no reason or plans to release Nanyonga to any club.
A photo of Nanyonga posing with Ronald Nakabaale, Makindye Weyonje organising secretary, with Weyonje banner in the background has been making rounds on social media, raising speculations among netball enthusiasts that the She Cranes star would be on her way to the KCCA-sponsored club.
The Makindye Weyonje public relations manager, Eddie Odhiambo, told Daily Monitor that the club has had talks with Nanyonga and that she will soon be a piece of their national league puzzle.
However, Ucanda said NIC is yet to release Nanyonga since she has a running contract with the defending champions. She said NIC had not been contacted by the Weyonje about said transfer.
“We have not yet signed any transfer documents to release Nanyonga. So she is still our player,” Ucanda told Daily Monitor.
‘I’ve met Weyonje’
Nanyonga who was hesitant to talk about the issue, concurs with her team manager.
“Makindye Weyonje is a good club and I would like to play for them in the near future. It is true I have met the club officials a number of times and they would like me to play for the club,” she said.
“However, I am still bound by my contract with NIC.”
Nanyonga extended her contract with NIC for one more season earlier this year.
Netball clubs have been hesitant to release players due to the unprofitability of player transfers.
Formally, clubs earn nothing from player transfers while the Uganda Netball Federation (UNF) is paid Shs 200,000 for each transfer by the buying club.
Many players have joined new clubs without their former clubs’ consent. This way, a player sits out a season before becoming a free agent, to gain the legibility of playing for a new outfit.
“Clubs are poor so the UNF saves them from incurring costs to obtain players. It has been like this for long,” Ucanda said.
