PAU vice-president Kayanja declares bid for presidency

Pool Association of Uganda (PAU) vice president Robert “Pipo” Kayanja has expressed interest in standing for the presidency to replace outgoing Bob Trubish.

Kayanja, affiliated with Samona Pool Club, has picked nomination forms alongside his running mate for vice president, Paul Okware. He has outlined an ambitious agenda aimed at transforming the sport over the next four years.

Currently serving as vice president in the outgoing executive, Kayanja brings nearly two decades of experience within the association, having risen from player to administrator.

“My team is focusing on five key areas: bridging gaps among stakeholders, ensuring financial transparency, improving player welfare and earnings, establishing professional management structures, and expanding the sport countrywide,” Kayanja said.

He added that his leadership would prioritize grassroots development and strategic partnerships to boost sponsorship and visibility of the game.

Kayanja also plans to increase the number of tournaments across the country’s 10 regions and intensify youth engagement initiatives. He emphasized the importance of introducing pool to secondary schools and tertiary institutions, as well as advocating for the formation of an East African Pool Federation.

“We want Uganda to play a leading role in regional and continental development of the sport, both at national team and club levels,” he noted.

Highlighting his track record, Kayanja cited his involvement in securing the Nile Special car award scheme for national championship winners as evidence of his ability to attract lucrative opportunities for players.

He further stressed the need to change the perception of pool as merely a bar sport by establishing dedicated arenas across regions to attract a broader audience, including students and non-bar-going participants.

In addition, Kayanja aims to diversify the sport by promoting other disciplines such as snooker, nine-ball, and heyball, with plans to introduce separate leagues alongside the popular 8-ball format.

“These other versions offer bigger international prize money, and we want our players to tap into those opportunities,” he said.

Kayanja also underscored the wider economic impact of the sport, noting that it benefits not only players but also table owners, technicians, attendants, and other stakeholders within the pool ecosystem.

Elections Gather Momentum

Preparations for the PAU elections are gathering momentum, with three weeks left for aspiring candidates to express interest in various leadership positions.

The assistant chairperson of the electoral commission, Herbert Nsimbi, confirmed that the nomination process, which opened on March 19, will close on April 20 before the vetting of candidates begins. He noted that while the exercise is progressing smoothly, the number of applicants picking nomination forms remains relatively low.

Nomination fees have been set at sh2m for the presidency and sh1m for all other positions.

“Contestants are picking forms, and based on the response so far, we expect candidates for all nine elective positions. At the moment, we have one aspirant for the presidency, Robert ‘Pipo’ Kayanja,” Nsimbi said.

Nsimbi added that this is the first time they are organizing PAU elections after being appointed during the annual general assembly of the sport.