06 January 2007
UGANDA : Fuba Needs Miracle
IT'S one thing to have potential and another the ability to deliver. Federation of Uganda Basketball Associations (FUBA) has more than able administrators but surprisingly the development of basketball has stalled.
With the likes of John Ssimbwa (President), Peninah Kabenge (Vice President), Elliot Bagenda (General Secretary) and Susan Kafumbe (Treasurer), FUBA has level-headed, selfless leaders.
Their love of the game can be manifested by what Ssimbwa, Kabenge and Kafumbe have done at Falcons, Sparks and Lady Bucks respectively.
Despite the above leadership, many feel FUBA, registered few successes in 2006 and the few administrative loopholes considered small and irrelevant could be the cause of basketball stagnation.
Communication prob
With discontent building up among club representatives, the failure to organise a general assembly was the biggest disservice FUBA could do to the basketball fraternity.
According to the FUBA constitution an executive's term of office lasts only two years. Elected in November 2004, the current committee is in office illegally, something that Peter Mubanda, a presidential hopeful, is ready to challenge in courts of law.
Daily Monitor however learnt that one of the executive members lost a relative, among other unavoidable circumstances that culminated into the assembly postponed.
Much as FUBA may be given a benefit of doubt it is however imperative that stakeholders are kept informed about the federation's business.
Communication, Mubanda asserts, is the most important thing in administration but it's no big issue in FUBA.
Kigozi Kafumbe is the FUBA publicity secretary but never has he come out to address controversies.
At the beginning of the season Norman Blick was playing semi-professional basketball in Qatar but returned mid-season to play for Marines, something that contravenes FIBA rules.
Different clubs petitioned FUBA over Blick's legality in the league but still the issue wasn't addressed.
Operations office
Since Tom Ocamringa's resignation as the FUBA operations officer, confusion has surrounded this fort that up to now there is no specific person running the office.
The job was advertised in December 2005 and Carol Nantalo was appointed after passing the interviews.
However her appointment seems to have riled some officials. She was reportedly denied an appointment letter, sabotaged and later thrown out in August under unclear circumstances.
"I was just told to stop working but they promised to call me back after sometime," Nantalo told Daily Monitor.
Barely a week after Nantalo's 'sacking', Mande Juruni who had emerged second best in the interviews was called in.
Juruni, a senior basketball player and coach (KCC) did not last two weeks in office as he was asked to leave after a row between the federation and KCC Leopards.
The row had reportedly emerged over Leopards' insistence to use a jersey without the sponsors' logo for a league match.
Awards ceremony
After charging players entrance fees for league games, the closing ceremony should have been an exception.
Players were denied entry into Lugogo Stadium and this made the ceremony the dullest of all time.
National team circus
Following the national team's heroics in the 2005 East and Central Africa Nations Challenge, FUBA president Simbwa indicated that Uganda's targets were now on the African continent.Uganda (men) beat Kenya in the finals while the ladies were second in the tourney hosted at Lugogo. It's a year down the road and the national team(men & women) is yet to play a competitive game.
Luckily enough the 2006 edition was pushed to February 2007 in Kigali, Rwanda. The event will act as the qualifications for the All Africa Games.
This should have been a blessing in disguise but the federation has failed to secure funds for the teams' preparations. Most players snubbed the national call due to lack of facilitation and training is yet to resume.
The real problem
Where as the top officials have the willingness to deliver, their commitments elsewhere have ensured that they give little time to basketball.
Delegation of duties to low ranking, rigid officials is taking basketball to the jaws of death.
Edmund Lumu (organising secretary) has given his whole to basketball but he seems to have been overwhelmed by the challenging workload.
Imelda Nyongesa has equally done a 'wonderful' job but there is need for people who can appreciate positive criticism.
Good side
Apart from the successful Kids League (FUBA plays no big role) and some mouth-watering clashes in the league, the only good thing that happened in basketball last year was the U-20 men's team taking part in the ANOCA Games in Nairobi, Kenya.
It was the first time a Ugandan youth team took part in a regional event but their performance is nothing to be proud of. Due to poor preparations they only managed one win in the opening game against Eritrea (88-77).
There is also need to run the league with a business acumen and dynamism if at all fans that have all turned to rugby are to come back to YMCA.
If FUBA officials don't devout more time to the game or throw in the towel, nothing else but a miracle can take Uganda's basketball to the next level.
With the likes of John Ssimbwa (President), Peninah Kabenge (Vice President), Elliot Bagenda (General Secretary) and Susan Kafumbe (Treasurer), FUBA has level-headed, selfless leaders.
Their love of the game can be manifested by what Ssimbwa, Kabenge and Kafumbe have done at Falcons, Sparks and Lady Bucks respectively.
Despite the above leadership, many feel FUBA, registered few successes in 2006 and the few administrative loopholes considered small and irrelevant could be the cause of basketball stagnation.
Communication prob
With discontent building up among club representatives, the failure to organise a general assembly was the biggest disservice FUBA could do to the basketball fraternity.
According to the FUBA constitution an executive's term of office lasts only two years. Elected in November 2004, the current committee is in office illegally, something that Peter Mubanda, a presidential hopeful, is ready to challenge in courts of law.
Daily Monitor however learnt that one of the executive members lost a relative, among other unavoidable circumstances that culminated into the assembly postponed.
Much as FUBA may be given a benefit of doubt it is however imperative that stakeholders are kept informed about the federation's business.
Communication, Mubanda asserts, is the most important thing in administration but it's no big issue in FUBA.
Kigozi Kafumbe is the FUBA publicity secretary but never has he come out to address controversies.
At the beginning of the season Norman Blick was playing semi-professional basketball in Qatar but returned mid-season to play for Marines, something that contravenes FIBA rules.
Different clubs petitioned FUBA over Blick's legality in the league but still the issue wasn't addressed.
Operations office
Since Tom Ocamringa's resignation as the FUBA operations officer, confusion has surrounded this fort that up to now there is no specific person running the office.
The job was advertised in December 2005 and Carol Nantalo was appointed after passing the interviews.
However her appointment seems to have riled some officials. She was reportedly denied an appointment letter, sabotaged and later thrown out in August under unclear circumstances.
"I was just told to stop working but they promised to call me back after sometime," Nantalo told Daily Monitor.
Barely a week after Nantalo's 'sacking', Mande Juruni who had emerged second best in the interviews was called in.
Juruni, a senior basketball player and coach (KCC) did not last two weeks in office as he was asked to leave after a row between the federation and KCC Leopards.
The row had reportedly emerged over Leopards' insistence to use a jersey without the sponsors' logo for a league match.
Awards ceremony
After charging players entrance fees for league games, the closing ceremony should have been an exception.
Players were denied entry into Lugogo Stadium and this made the ceremony the dullest of all time.
National team circus
Following the national team's heroics in the 2005 East and Central Africa Nations Challenge, FUBA president Simbwa indicated that Uganda's targets were now on the African continent.Uganda (men) beat Kenya in the finals while the ladies were second in the tourney hosted at Lugogo. It's a year down the road and the national team(men & women) is yet to play a competitive game.
Luckily enough the 2006 edition was pushed to February 2007 in Kigali, Rwanda. The event will act as the qualifications for the All Africa Games.
This should have been a blessing in disguise but the federation has failed to secure funds for the teams' preparations. Most players snubbed the national call due to lack of facilitation and training is yet to resume.
The real problem
Where as the top officials have the willingness to deliver, their commitments elsewhere have ensured that they give little time to basketball.
Delegation of duties to low ranking, rigid officials is taking basketball to the jaws of death.
Edmund Lumu (organising secretary) has given his whole to basketball but he seems to have been overwhelmed by the challenging workload.
Imelda Nyongesa has equally done a 'wonderful' job but there is need for people who can appreciate positive criticism.
Good side
Apart from the successful Kids League (FUBA plays no big role) and some mouth-watering clashes in the league, the only good thing that happened in basketball last year was the U-20 men's team taking part in the ANOCA Games in Nairobi, Kenya.
It was the first time a Ugandan youth team took part in a regional event but their performance is nothing to be proud of. Due to poor preparations they only managed one win in the opening game against Eritrea (88-77).
There is also need to run the league with a business acumen and dynamism if at all fans that have all turned to rugby are to come back to YMCA.
If FUBA officials don't devout more time to the game or throw in the towel, nothing else but a miracle can take Uganda's basketball to the next level.
# posted by afrbk : 19:40
