Government hails Gunter

By Norman Katende

The Uganda Government has appealed to the German Embassy to help work on a possibility that outgoing sports development director Gunter Lange becomes a national advisor to Uganda on sports development.

Gunter concluded his four-year long posting to Uganda with a farewell dinner at Haandi Restaurant on Saturday evening.

The Education and Sports ministry Permanent Secretary Rose Nassali-Lukwago, in a farewell message at the ceremony where Gunter was also rewarded for his works, said that the German’s ideas and works to the ministry were so huge that losing him at a go will impact on the sports development in the country.

“Your CV in Uganda is very high. We are trying to work with all the stakeholders concerned. We want to go much further and appoint you honorary advisor to the development of sports in Uganda,” said Nassali at a dinner that was attended by “Gunter’s friends”.

The dinner had officials from National Council of Sports and the Uganda Olympic Committee, athletics federation, education institutions and media among others.

“You are leaving Uganda with an electronic timer for athletics, an underwater massage for sportsmen, training for coaches in different fields, over 2,000 trained sports teachers among others, and I would like to say that we appreciate,” said Nassali before she handed over the award.

Gunter appealed to sportsmen to continue with the programmes as a back ground for excellence.

“You are not saying farewell but saying bye-bye to me. This is not the last time for me to be in Uganda. I have had five long term programmes but I can say that the atmosphere, love and help I got from Uganda has been the best,” he said.

Gunter came to Uganda on a mission to help in the development of athletics in the country but the then Commissioner for Sports Dan Tamwesigire changed the programme from only athletics to sports — although other federations have not been very active in seeking ideas that were on offer by the expert.