Falcons Basketball Club founder is dead
LEGENDARY Falcons Basketball Club founder and ex-patron, John Ssimbwa has died. The man responsible for building Uganda’s most successful basketball club passed away yesterday at his home in Lungujja.
By CHARLES MUTEBI
& USHER KOMUGISHA
Men, Division 1
Ndejje 67 Power 81
Division 2
Rez Life 55 St.Michael 51
Division 3
Emperors 75 K’la Varsity 67
Shooters 54 Jammers 41
Bushcourt 77 Ssaku 46
Women
Amazon 34 Lady Canons 61
LEGENDARY Falcons Basketball Club founder and ex-patron, John Ssimbwa has died. The man responsible for building Uganda’s most successful basketball club passed away yesterday at his home in Lungujja.
Friends and family say his death was a result of a stress-related illness.
Ssimbwa, 48, will be buried Wednesday in Kinoni village on Masaka-Mbarara Road. He is survived by a widow, Isabella and two daughters, the younger one being three weeks old.
Henry Ssemanda, Ssimbwa’s younger brother, said, “I do not know what to say… It is so sad. It is a surprise because he had recently recovered tremendously.â€
Ssimbwa founded the Falcons in 1998 and nine years later, the club had won a record six FUBA league championships. In between, he had served as FUBA president from 2003 to 2007.
Ssemanda is bitter with the local basketball body for ignoring Ssimbwa during his illness.
“This is a man who gave so much to the game but we did not get a cent from the federation,†said Ssemanda.
Ssimbwa had handed over the running of the club to Denis Mbidde this year and had not attended any of the club’s three league games.
“It is devastating that we have lost John because he was a very hard working and humble man,†said Falcons president, Mbidde.
Ssemanda suggested that much of Ssimbwa’s stress came directly from his involvement in basketball.
Meanwhile, reigning basketball league champions, Power recovered from their loss to Warriors with a 81-67 victory over Ndejje University at YMCA courts, Wandegeya on Sunday.
Power showed their intent early in the game dominating the first quarter 27-14.
& USHER KOMUGISHA
Men, Division 1
Ndejje 67 Power 81
Division 2
Rez Life 55 St.Michael 51
Division 3
Emperors 75 K’la Varsity 67
Shooters 54 Jammers 41
Bushcourt 77 Ssaku 46
Women
Amazon 34 Lady Canons 61
LEGENDARY Falcons Basketball Club founder and ex-patron, John Ssimbwa has died. The man responsible for building Uganda’s most successful basketball club passed away yesterday at his home in Lungujja.
Friends and family say his death was a result of a stress-related illness.
Ssimbwa, 48, will be buried Wednesday in Kinoni village on Masaka-Mbarara Road. He is survived by a widow, Isabella and two daughters, the younger one being three weeks old.
Henry Ssemanda, Ssimbwa’s younger brother, said, “I do not know what to say… It is so sad. It is a surprise because he had recently recovered tremendously.â€
Ssimbwa founded the Falcons in 1998 and nine years later, the club had won a record six FUBA league championships. In between, he had served as FUBA president from 2003 to 2007.
Ssemanda is bitter with the local basketball body for ignoring Ssimbwa during his illness.
“This is a man who gave so much to the game but we did not get a cent from the federation,†said Ssemanda.
Ssimbwa had handed over the running of the club to Denis Mbidde this year and had not attended any of the club’s three league games.
“It is devastating that we have lost John because he was a very hard working and humble man,†said Falcons president, Mbidde.
Ssemanda suggested that much of Ssimbwa’s stress came directly from his involvement in basketball.
Meanwhile, reigning basketball league champions, Power recovered from their loss to Warriors with a 81-67 victory over Ndejje University at YMCA courts, Wandegeya on Sunday.
Power showed their intent early in the game dominating the first quarter 27-14.