Uganda’s pool stars cash in as sport gains prominence
The winner in the women’s category, Marion Kisakye, also drove home with a cash prize of sh3m.
Upper Volta's Gideon Bwanika in action during a league game against Adis Spot in Kasubi against. (File photo0
By Peter Kanyike and Silvano Kibuuka
Journalists @New Vision
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Pool one regarded as a bar sport has gained significance. The 2024 Nile Special Men’s National Pool Open champion, Mansoor Bwanika drove away with a Toyota Mark X and a cash prize of sh5m.
The 2023/24 Uganda Premier League player of the year, Patrick Kakande in football got a lot less. Kakande went home with a StarTimes dish and a trophy.
The point is obvious that the Pool Association of Uganda (PAU) is more passionate about promoting the players' welfare compared to the biggest funded sporting organisation, FUFA, which bags sh17b.
The winner in the women’s category, Marion Kisakye, also drove home with a cash prize of sh3m.
The top 16 players left the venue at Lugogo Indoor Arena with a minimum of sh500,000 each.
All the 128 men and 32 women in the Lugogo finals each got a new pool cue.
Rita Nimusima one of Uganda's top seeds takes part in a Women's Day tournament in March last year. File Photo
This was courtesy of Nile Breweries, the sponsor injecting sh1b into the sport for two years.
The company started injecting money into the sport of pool as far back as 2008 and started awarding a car to the annual male winners in 2013. This was the beginning of big prizes from the sport.
Transfers
Pool club owners these days bag large monies from the players' transfers at the end of the season, which also creates big incomes for the elite players.
Before the COVID-19 pandemic, pool players’ transfers had hit a record sh5m-6m.
However, many of the signings are kept confidential between the parties.
Some of the highest were Fahad Ssewankambo and Jonah Turigye signing from Samona Pool Club to Hot Pool.
Ibra Sejjemba, Joseph Kasozi, retired player Alfred Gumikiriza, and Amos Ndyagumanawe are among others who have also seen lucrative transfer signings in the men’s category.
Defending National Pool Open champions Marion Kisakye and Mansoor Bwanika with the prizes they claimed in November's tournament.
Rita Nimusiima and the sisters Rashida Mutesi and Rukia Naiga have also had it big among women.
Caesar Chandiga and Hazard Lukomwa have had professional stints in Zambia.
Apart from the transfers, pool players have enjoyed match allowances, clubs renting houses and meeting costs for foreign competitions.
The winner of the Africa Pool Championship in Zambia that concluded last month in Lusaka walked away with a cash prize of $3000 and at least 10 Ugandans, including Chandiga, finished in top positions.
No wonder, Chandiga became the African director of the Heyball Pool, a kind of pool competition mainly played in China after putting a good competition in 2023.
The event in China had a prize package of $73,000 and Chandiga narrowly missed making the cut into the big money prize when he lost at the round of 64.
Pool battle competitions are not only held in Uganda but also in countries across the region including Kenya, Tanzania, Malawi, Zambia, South Africa and others.
They are mainly a one-on-one show, under the agreement between the managers of either side.
These go for between $1000- 5000 and many Ugandan players at the national team are fond of these competitions.
They compete in as far as 25 games, meaning endurance, fitness and knowledge of the game, which opened more invitations for Ugandans.
In 2023, Chandiga competed with Jeremiah Naidoo of South Africa for a $4000 bait that he won at Kiwatule in Tickles and Giggles.
Last year, Chandiga played the continental champion Eden Joseph and won $5000 in South Africa.
Zambian player Kelvin Nkandu has also been in Kampala and played against Simon Lubulwa and others on baits between $600 -1000.
Apart from winning money, the Pool Association of Uganda (PAU) gains from such competitions as the elite national players get to compete internationally for exposure when they meet professionals out there.
Where there is money, experts have also come up as managers for the players.
Uganda Pool Association president Bob Trubish at the nomination day. (Photo: Silvano Kibuuka)
Pool players, with the help of their managers, engage and solicit the battle games.
These games attract big viewership from the playing venues and online social media platforms.
Top ranked pool player for 2024, Kasozi of Rox Bery Pool club has confirmed the existence of pool battles from within and outside the country.
“We make money from the battles. However, we should invest wisely. Talent can vanish but if we invest prudently, I think we will be successful as pool players,” Kasozi, who owns three pool table outlets on Entebbe Road, noted.
Online blogger for the pool sport across East, Central and Southern Africa, Peter Kyobe said that players travel a lot to compete in money tournaments that are always followed by bait competitions dubbed battles.
“I have followed them in several tournaments in South Africa, Zambia, Kenya and other places for live streaming on social media since 2020. Many have achieved financially and have developed their talent. I am happy with the evolution of the pool sport in the country,” Kyobe noted.
He thinks that online pool viewing in Uganda is ahead of football since 2022 when live streaming became a popular event for players to start receiving global invitations.
PAU publicity secretary, George Katongole is also in line with the evolution in the sports earnings of players.
“When you love this sport, you do not turn back, the atmosphere when watching is unrivalled. It is an experience you cannot get anywhere else. And this is where the players make money,’’ Katongole noted.
“You will find the sport loved by all age groups from the youth and the old. Pool centres are all over the country. In every kilometre distance be assured of finding more than one pool table venue,” he added.
Good development
PAU vice chairman James Mwere also acknowledges that the sport has grown significantly since 2013 when Nile Special started awarding cars to the national open pool championship winners.
Mansoor Bwanika and Fahad Ssewankambo have each won cars twice.
“The challenge is that people call our game a bar sport because most pool tables are found in bars. But this does not mean that only the drunkards play the sport,” noted Mwere.
He said they have now adjusted the playing time for the league games to start at 5:00 pm.
“It’s one reason parents don’t even want children to associate with the sport. But we are getting in contact with schools to welcome the sport because it’s like any other career sport where an athlete can earn a fortune,” noted Mwere.
He said they are also discussing with the National Council of Sports (NCS) to include the sport on the school’s sports curriculum.
In the recent Nile Special National Championship, the spectators' ticket went for sh25,000 according to Mwebe, a sign of a big money sport like football at Namboole.
Bob Menani, the founding father for PAU, a former national champion and national coach, is impressed by the development of pool in the country.