UOC’s chance for fundamental change

Feb 01, 2009

I SAY SO<br><br>ROGERS Ddungu beat long serving Uganda Olympic Committee president Maj. Gen. Francis Nyangweso at the weekend in one of local sport’s biggest election surprises.

I SAY SO

JAMES BAKAMA

ROGERS Ddungu beat long serving Uganda Olympic Committee president Maj. Gen. Francis Nyangweso at the weekend in one of local sport’s biggest election surprises.

Nyangweso’s defeat brought to an end a 28-year era that many had come to believe would never change if the general was still alive.
But a well calculated move that took months of planning on Saturday crystallised into a dramatic change in Uganda’s most-funded sports body.

Nyangweso, his vice Omwony Okot, treasurer Salim Musoke and secretary Gabriel Oloka were all trounced in the polls.

My prayer is that Ddungu’s election does not turn out as merely a change of guard, but an opportunity for a fundamental change.

Ddungu brings a wealth of experience that should with the dynamic team behind him, be able to harness the vast Olympic opportunities to Uganda’s advantage.

One of the biggest points of Ddungu’s victory speech was a promise to work jointly with government.

There can’t be a better starting point than acknowledgement of the fact the state is major stakeholder.
The past UOC heads always got this wrong, claiming they were only accountable to their parent body ­--the International Olympic Committee.

But it was Ugandan sport that lost in the consequent ego clashes between the education and sports ministry and Uganda Olympic Committee.

Ddungu and company will also have to be open. The rift between most associations and the Nyangweso team largely had to do with the secrecy with which the latter conducted its affairs.But much as UOC has to change its modus operandi, the associations must also exhibit some dynamism.

There have been cases of associations failing to access the vast Olympic Solidarity fund simply because their officials can’t write project proposals!

Back to the Ddungu team, all I request of them now is to seize the opportunity for a true fundamental change.

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