Nile Breweries renews USPA sponsorship

By James Bakama

UGANDA Sports Press Association’s partnership with Nile Breweries has been further strengthened.

The Njeru based brewers have renewed their sponsorship of the scribes’ body with an improved two-year contract.

The new deal that takes effect immediately will have USPA getting sh460m until 2016 from the brewers. The old deal had that scribes’ body getting sh408m over three years from the same sponsors.

Under the new arrangement, funding for the annual gala has now more than doubled from sh60m to sh125m. The association’s monthly meetings and awards dinners will now get sh84m from the previous sh60m.

USPA’s retainer has been boosted from sh10 to 15m while the brewers have kept the budget for the monthly awards at sh6m.

Nile Breweries Sponsorship Manager Isaac Sekasi explained that the improved deal took into consideration not only current market prices, but also the good relationship with USPA.

“There will be improved quality in the monthly meetings and the annual gala,” said Sekasi. USPA’s gala to reward outstanding performers in 2013 will be next Saturday.

“The increment is very good news. I must say USPA is in good hands,” observed USPA president Mark Namanya noting the association’s long relationship with Nile stretching as far back as 1974.

Sekasi announced the sponsorship to USPA members at a breakfast on Thursday at Imperial Royale Hotel.

Namanya appealed to members to not only give the sponsors the necessary mileage, but also cover other sports activities that the brewers are involved.

The Njeru based company also sponsors football, rugby, golf, pool and basketball.