President Yoweri Museveni has reiterated Government's commitment to continue supporting sports excellence in Uganda, describing it as a culmination of broad-based development and transformation.

He said more medals are coming from locations like Kapachorwa because "there is some peace in that area now".

President Yoweri Museveni addressing Team Uganda athletes at Entebbe.

The President made the remarks at State House Entebbe on Thursday.

He and First Lady Janet Museveni, who is the minister of education and sports, hosted a large group of sportsmen and women under the National Council of Sports, who excelled in recent different sporting activities on the global and continental stages.

The First Lady congratulated Team Uganda for raising the Ugandan flag high at different sporting events.

They included those who competed at the;

- World Athletics Championships in Oregon, USA

- 2022 World Rugby Sevens Challenger Series in Santiago, Chile (Uganda finished 6th)

- FINA World Junior Championships in Lima, Peru

- 2022 Commonwealth Games IN Birmingham, UK

- 5th Islamic Solidarity Sports Federation Games in Konya, Turkey

- World U20 Athletics Championships in Cali, Colombia

- African Cricket Association T20 Cup in Benoni, South Africa.

- CANA Swimming Championships in Tunis, Tunisia

- 22nd Africa Senior Championships in Ivory Coast

- Rugby Africa Men's Sevens in Kampala, Uganda

- 44th Chess Olympiad in Chennai India

- All-Africa Senior Badminton Championships 2022 in Kampala, Uganda

Overall, the teams collectively won 20 medals - six gold, six silver and eight bronze.

Additionally, the cricket team won the African Cricket Association T20 Cup, while the Rugby team won the Africa Men's Sevens Cup.

“I congratulate those who won medals," said Museveni. "But I also congratulate those who participated even if they didn’t win medals."

He said sports builds teamwork, stamina, determination, competition, as well as global excellence and recognition.

“Sports is a good training area in all these qualities. I thank you sports people for taking advantage of the opportunities which have come to Uganda in the 36 years because of peace and coming out to use your talent,” the President told his guests.

He reiterated his commitment to supporting medalists who win at continental, Commonwealth and Olympics with placement in government structures, including the army, Police and Uganda Wildlife Authority.

His argument: "So that when they are placed there, they earn a living, keep training and also do a service to the nation."

Gold medalists Stephen Kiprotich and Joshua Cheptegei, for instance, are serving officers in the Uganda Prisons Service and Uganda Police Force, respectively.

Museveni reassured athletes that they will continue to be given a monthly payment of sh5m, sh3m and sh1m for gold, silver and bronze medalists, respectively, as well as develop the sports infrastructure across Uganda.

“This was in order to motivate but also support our sports people. But I still insist that with sports, what you’re doing now is just the beginning," he said.

'Systematic way'

He also encouraged sportsmen and women to get involved in the Parish Development Model (PDM) which is aimed at getting all the homes out of what he termed as “moneylessness”.

“Now you’ll see how that will impact sports. The PDM is part of sports development in terms of money making and good nutrition to support sports."

Museveni supported the idea of appropriating the coaches of different sports disciplines “because you cannot reward the product and forget the planter".

"We shall see how to handle them in a systematic way."

At the same function, the President handed over a land title to the family of the late John Akii-Bua who won the first Olympic gold for Uganda in 1972.

He also handed over a vehicle to marathoner Victor Kiplangat, who won Uganda's first-ever Commonwealth Games marathon gold in Birmingham.

'Personal sacrifice, hard work'

On her part, the First Lady congratulated Team Uganda for raising the Ugandan flag high at different sporting events this year and appreciated the financial support received from the Government.

She said the collective team's performance was "exceptional and enabled Uganda to be highly ranked at the different events, raising our profile, especially in the Africa region".

She noted expectational performances by the likes of world champions Cheptegei and Jacob Kiplimo, Peruth Chemutai, Halimah Nakaayi, and netballers Peace Proscovia and Mary Nuba.

“This would not have been possible if these team members had not intentionally exerted themselves through hard work and their personal sacrifice, which enabled them to excel,” said the education minister.

She also informed the President about another team of 990 young sportsmen and women from 43 schools who participated in the Federation of East Africa Secondary School Association Games featuring four countries.

Uganda emerged overall champion with a total of 41 medals - 18 gold, 10 silver, and 13 bronze.

“Mr. President, it is my hope that at an appropriate time you consider hosting them as well,” urged the First Lady.

The minister said Government is making substantial investments in sports development like the Teryet Training Centre in Kapchorwa, which she visited on Tuesday this week.

“We are hopeful that when the construction of the high-altitude centre in Teryet and the renovation of Namboole National Stadium are complete, we will have standard facilities not only for training, but also for hosting international sports events,” she said.

The Minister of State for Sports, Peter Ogwang, said different countries have already written to the ministry to visit and start using Teryet Training Centre once it is ready.

2022 Olympic marathon gold medalist Kiprotich, who represented the Chairperson of National Council of Sports, and multi-world record-holder Cheptegei also addressed the gathering.

The president of Uganda Olympic Committee, Donald Rukare, and the Government Chief Whip, who was the contingent commander for the Commonwealth Games 2022 as a state Minister for Sports at that time, Hamson Denis Obua, also thanked Government for supporting the sports sector that has marketed Uganda internationally.

Also present at the ceremony were MPs from Sebei region, representatives from Uganda Netball Federation and the presidents of different sports federations, members of the National Council of Sports and executive committee members of Uganda Olympic Committee.