Establish sports academies, Bukenya tells universities

Aug 20, 2009

THE Vice-President, Gilbert Bukenya, has advised universities to establish sports academies. Bukenya said this would give students a chance to join lucrative sports careers in the developed world.

By Frederick Kiwanuka
THE Vice-President, Gilbert Bukenya, has advised universities to establish sports academies. Bukenya said this would give students a chance to join lucrative sports careers in the developed world.

Bukenya made the remarks in a speech read for him by ambassador James Baba, the state minister for the vice-presincy, at the launch of a political cadre course for students of Ndejje University in Luweero district on Monday.

Bukenya said sports was a big money industry abd that it would keep the students healthy. The Vice-President hailed Uganda’s oldest privately owned university for instituting a ‘well-packaged academic programme’ and pioneering the teaching of sports.

He urged the university to establish an academy that would produce sports professionals. “Since you are the pioneer private university, you can as well be the leaders in the area of sports,” he said.

Citing the case of West African soccer star, Emmanuel Adebayor, who plays in Europe, Baba, said the university would produce stars who earn billions.

“But we don’t have such people here. If you were to get that money, you would be able to build magnificent structures all over this campus,” Baba said.

Bukenya urged the university administration to collaborate with other universities and implement the higher education loan scheme which enables students to study and repay the tuition fees when they get employed.

He said Mukono, Kabale and Busoga universities had implemented the scheme. The Vice-President thanked the university for planting trees and asked the administration to consider planting upland rice to supplement the students’ diet.

The Vice-Chancellor, the Rev. Michael Senyimba said Ndejje was training petroleum and gas engineers.

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