Kanyeihamba won't quit as UOC tribunal boss

By Norman Katende

Retired Justice George Kanyeihamba has insisted he will stay on as the head of the UOC tribunal, despite failing to get the approval of the majority of the executive who insist that his appointment was unconstitutional.
 
In an afternoon filled with drama at the Uganda Olympic Committee offices at Lugogo, UOC president Roger Ddungu described Kanyeihamba the best person to head the tribunal.

However, when asked for his opinion on the appointment of the retired judge, assistant vice president in charge of technical matters, Dennis Galabuzi stood up and told Kanyeihamba that he (judge) was in a wrong place and that he had been hoodwinked.

“The constitution clearly states that the tribunal is formed by the UOC arbitration commission and there should be agreement by all the parties involved.  We as the executive and members of UOC have not given powers to anyone to form the tribunal,” said Galabuzi amidst murmurs.

UOC officials ponder next move after Kanyeihamba vowed to stay on as the tribunal boss. PHOTO: Norman Katende

Kanyeihamba who had initially declined the job agreed to take it after a series of meetings with Rogers Ddungu and Oneg P’Minga, the assistant general secretary.  

Kanyeihamba said any aggrieved party should contact him directly to iron out any differences.

Questions about what exactly Kanyeihamba was going to do and who was going to pay the tribunal were brushed aside by the UOC officials.

The tribunal was created as after it emerged that the nomination of Peninah Kabenge for the UOC women’s league award was done by appending Ddungu’s signature to the nomination forms without his consent.

However, the committee investigating the case found out that it was the order of the day to use both Kabenge and Ddungu’s signature on all official documents and they would be informed later.  

Ddungu has reportedly never filed any complaint about the use of his signature, and instead the complaint was filed by the third party, former general secretary Gabriel Oloka, who was replaced by Kabenge.

An executive meeting that had been called to discuss the development was called off abruptly after Ddungu and P’Minga accused each other of postponing the meeting.