He has been an integral part of the Lower Leagues Management Committee (LLMC) that helped save the lower tiers of Ugandan basketball from collapse. Last season, his long-standing investment in Rez Life was rewarded with qualification to the National Basketball League (NBL).

Now Gordon Gumisiriza is gunning for the top job in Ugandan basketball.

Gumisiriza will challenge incumbent Nasser Sserunjogi for the presidency of the local basketball ruling body FUBA at next month’s elective assembly. The game deserves a change of leadership, Gumisiriza insists.

His core vision, commercialising basketball.

Gumisiriza has been at the forefront of Rez Life's rise.

“We need to find a way of making the game commercially viable,” said Gumisiriza. “How do we do this? By taking the game to the people. We have to ensure league games are played at different locations around the country.

“There are club owners who built courts hoping they would be able to host league games but they have never been given the chance.”

Gumisiriza understands the burden of supporting a side in the league, having managed or been part of managing Rez Life, LC Hovers and Sharing Youth. He believes FUBA should find ways to help clubs shoulder the burden.

“If clubs are allowed to host games, that will allow more fans to watch the game and build the brand of basketball. That way, it becomes easier to attract sponsors because they are assured of mileage.”

Gumisiriza also says that if elected, he will be more intentional about grassroots development. He noted the number of Ugandans on the elite teams at the national secondary school championships has dwindled every year.

“What does this mean? That we are not developing young players.”

Gumisiriza also believes the game's rules and regulations, especially those that govern player transfers, need to be tightened. Similarly, he says the administration of the federation needs to be improved by empowering all the officers on the executive to perform their duties.

“We (basketball) are running on one head (FUBA president Nasser Sserunjogi), contrary to where we would like to say, we are running on six heads (vice presidents),” argued Gumisiriza, who confirmed that he has not pulled out of the race as some reports have recently suggested.