Ssempa re-elected president of Uganda Baseball and Softball Association

John Bosco Ssempa was re-elected president of the Uganda Baseball and Softball Association (UBASA) for a second term during the Annual General Meeting held at St. Peter's Secondary School in Nsambya on Saturday.

Delegates voted to retain Ssempa following the progress made during his previous term, especially in governance, grassroots development, and expanding baseball activities in schools and communities across the country.

Ssempa said his leadership had focused on deliberate interventions aimed at growing the game within a short period.

"We have had deliberate interventions aligned to the growth of the game. In just one year, we have established a UBASA office, secured admission to the USSSA Ball Games, approved a decentralised governance structure through the creation of sub-zones, engaged with the primary school's association, and most importantly promoted accountability, inclusion, and transparency," Ssempa said.

He added that his administration has already approved a strategic plan to guide the federation in the coming years. "We will begin by implementing the baseball league while addressing the three strategic pillars of governance, game penetration, commercial partnerships, and branding," he said.

Ssempa also promised to create more competitions, increase school and university outreach programmes, and host more international events in Uganda as a way of developing local talent and increasing the sport's visibility.

Changes to Federation structure

The elections brought changes to the federation's structure after the UBASA constitution was amended to align with the new national sports law. Under the old constitution, the federation had positions including president, vice president, general secretary, technical baseball, technical softball, treasurer, disciplinary, and publicity.

In the previous administration, Ssempa served as president, Gloria Ocokoru was Technical Softball Officer, Meddie Ssemakula handled Technical Baseball, and Martin Ogama served on the disciplinary committee.

The new executive now includes vice presidents responsible for Baseball, Softball, and Baseball5, among other new positions aimed at improving administration and representation.

The new cabinet includes Bernard Adei as Vice President for Baseball, Gloria Ocokoru as Vice President for Softball, and Ibrahim Kabogoza as Vice President for Baseball5. Kabogoza is also the CEO of Afro Unity Sports Foundation and is widely known for talent scouting and youth development in Uganda.

Other executive members include Becky Iren as Treasurer, Meddie Ssemakula as Secretary, Lamex Omara Apetta as Member at Large for Baseball, Dorreen Nyadoi as Member at Large for Softball, and Martin Ogama as Member at Large for Baseball5. The athlete representatives are Paul Ofwono for baseball and Lydia Atim for softball.

Uganda to host Baseball5 qualifiers

Ssempa's re-election comes at a busy moment for Ugandan baseball and softball as the country prepares to host the Eastern Africa Youth Baseball5 World Cup qualifiers from June 25 to 29.

Uganda will host Kenya, Tanzania, and South Sudan in the five-day tournament. Officials are expected on June 25, with teams arriving the following day. Matches will take place on June 27 and 28 before the finals on June 29 at the Lugogo Indoor Arena.

The tournament is part of the qualification pathway for the Baseball5 World Cup, where two African countries will secure qualification.

Growth of Baseball and Softball in Uganda

Baseball and softball continue to grow steadily in Uganda. Last year, baseball, softball, and Baseball5 were introduced as demonstration sports during the USSSA Ball Games II held in Tororo, marking the first time baseball appeared on the USSSA calendar.

Allen VR Stanley Secondary School dominated the competitions, winning both baseball and softball titles. Panyadoli Self Help Secondary School won the Baseball5 championship and finished second in regular baseball, while Metha Secondary School finished second in softball. The games are expected to feature again during this year's USSSA Ball Games II.

Uganda also participated in last year's African Baseball Championship qualifiers, where Kenya emerged champions. Uganda is currently ranked 30th in the world in baseball.

The country also strengthened its representation on the continental stage after Denis Kasozi was re-elected as Treasurer of WBSC Africa during the sixth WBSC Congress held in Bangkok, Thailand.