Citing lack of funds, KCCA pulls out of hosting EA games

Nov 15, 2017

KCCA was supposed to contribute sh180m towards organizing the event

The 9th edition of the East Africa Local Authority and Cultural Associations Games that were scheduled to take place from November 29th to December 5th at different venues in Kampala have been cancelled.

Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) who were hosting the games have failed to secure sh500m that was needed to host the event, according to Ismail Ddamba the chairperson of KCCA's Esucation and sports committee.

KCCA's director of education services, Juliet Namuddu revealed that KCCA executive director Jennifer Musisi wrote to the Minister for Kampala, Beti Kamya, explaining the authority's inability to host the games.

KCCA was supposed to contribute sh180m towards organizing the event but Musisi in her letter stated that the authority is financially constrained and cannot afford hosting the games.

Even KCCA's effort to get the contributions from member countries did not materialize as none of the countries responded to their letter calling upon them to submit their contribution.

Contributions from all the countries towards the games were expected to stand at sh2b. Tanzania pulled out of the games last year citing political differences.

Kenya who hosted last year's edition of the games is going through political unrest which has left Rwanda, Burundi and South Sudan as the only likely participating countries.

But none of the countries has responded to calls to pay up for the games which has forced KCCA to subsequently pull out.

The countries were expected to compete in different disciplines including athletics, football, netball, handball and volleyball amid dialogues to strengthen the East African bloc's integration.

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