Sports bodies beg for extension to comply with new law

National sports associations and federations may need more than three months to be fit for registration under the National Sports Act 2023.

The new Act was signed into law in September 2023, but its implementation was delayed until the sports minister signed the Statutory Instruments on March 14, 2025.

The law requires all sports bodies to register again, for which the minister set a June 20, 2025 deadline.

Last Friday, the National Council of Sports (NCS) reminded all national bodies to de-register as Trusts before pursuing registration under the new Act.

“Please note that all federations and associations must meet all legal requirements for registration under the new Act and the Regulations to the letter, with no exception,” the April 11 letter by NCS general secretary Bernard Patrick Ogwel concluded, hitting federations and associations hard because few are ready to meet those standards.

One of those lofty requirements is that an association “shall have a national character, with the participation of Ugandans in at least 50 percent of the districts of Uganda,” which means 73 of 146  districts. For federations, it’s 75 percent of the districts in Uganda, which is 109 districts.

“That’s almost impossible for most of our sports bodies,” said Robert Jjagwe, the outgoing president of the Uganda Table Tennis Association.

“The law wants federations [and associations] to start clubs in all districts, which hasn’t been the case. And it’s expensive. The government should have provided funds for that. Otherwise, it’s going to be hard for most federations to meet that requirement.”

The Public Finance Management Act 2015 requires that “Every Bill introduced in Parliament shall be accompanied by a Certificate of Financial Implications issued by the Minister.”

The certificate indicates the estimates of revenue and expenditure over the period of not less than two years after the coming into effect of the bill when passed and the impact of the bill on the economy.

“We need to look at the certificate to see whether the government committed any resources to that drastic expansion the law demands.”

A federation president, who spoke on conditions of anonymity to avoid ruining his relations with the NCS and the sports ministry, said the registration requirements and the deadline are very unrealistic. “The money for registration is too much for such sports that don’t attract sponsorship,” he said. “Plus, we have tried to start clubs outside Kampala, but it’s expensive to do it in many districts.”

Moses Dungu, the president Uganda Skating Federation shares these concerns.

“A standard skate park costs $100,000. But we don’t even have the Shs20m to establish the modest versions like the one in Mukono in 73 districts.

“And sports like ours, which involve many children, struggle to attract sponsorship. So, how do you expect us to meet all those demands in three months? We need about two years. Anyway, we shall do what we can and wait.  

The week before last, sports bodies met the NCS general secretary and requested that the sports minister extend the registration deadline.

“But Mr Ogwel’s letter surprised us. Anyway, we shall wait and hope,” the anonymous president said, frustrated. “Otherwise, only 10 of the 50 bodies may register.”

With activities in many traditional schools across the country, Uganda Tennis Association (UTA) chairman Mathias Nalyanya is not so much worried about the 50 percent presence.

But the law also requires national sports bodies to realign their constitutions with the Act and have an executive elected by an annual general assembly comprised of delegates from at least 50 percent of districts of Uganda.

“We are trying to comply because the law came in [September] 2023,” Nalyanya, who is also a lawyer, told us. “But Section 7 of the Act, which stipulates the registration procedures, was only activated on March 14. So the time until June 20 is quite short, and most of us will struggle to meet all the requirements.

“So as we try to comply, we wait for the minister’s response to our request for an extension.”

But a source close to NCS said Ogwel insisted there won’t be extensions. “We need to be ready to start planning for the 50 federations or associations as soon as possible,” Ogwel reportedly said.

Meanwhile, Jjagwe has an idea. “We should have written a letter to NCS and the ministry highlighting the inconsistencies in the Act.

“I don’t support the idea that we restrict ourselves to a compassionate request based on somebody’s will. Because if that answer is not backed by the law or what’s practically possible, it may backfire when someone takes you to court to cancel your license.”

But most federation and association heads didn’t buy the idea in the meeting with Ogwel. “Now they are calling me, saying ‘you were right,’” Jjagwe said.

KEY REQUIREMENTS

Association: participation in 50 percent of districts

Federation: participation in 75 percent of districts

Both: realign constitution with the Act

-executive elected by AGM with delegates from 50 percent of districts

Deadline: June 20, 2025