Babu gets new mandate as tennis boss

By Douglas Mazune 

BICKERING preceding the Uganda Lawn Tennis Association (ULTA) elective assembly suggested a showdown between the incumbent Cedric Babu and businessman Arthur Segawa but it turned out to be a lopsided contest.

Despite a below par performance by Babu’s executive, the tennis fraternity overwhelmingly decided to give them another chance. 

Segawa’s management by contract, of Lugogo Tennis Club which is his major, if not the only stake in the sport, instead played in the his opponent’s hands. 

Scathing attack

The award of the contract to Segawa came under scathing attack from the assembly. 

No wonder Babu swept 74 votes while Segawa managed only 12 in the election conducted by a show of hands.

“I promise that what has been going on will never happen again. This is a new era in tennis and when we come back here for the next assembly you will see,” Babu remarked in a brief acceptance speech soon after the assembly.

The workload that awaits Babu’s team has a number of issues. 

Local tournaments

ULTA having shrunk to a single major tournament –– the Castle Lite Uganda Open, the association’s leadership has to draw a calendar with more national events.

The association has to find sponsorship and organize the events to the satisfaction of sponsors, players and fans. 

International events 

Uganda has not participated in the Davis Cup for the last three seasons because of failure to clear arrears in affiliation fees with International Tennis Federation (ITF) to the tune of US$30,000 (Sh78m). 

Consequently, the Kampala leg of the ITF U-18 Circuit and lucrative FUTURES tournaments among other international competitions that used to keep local players busy in the absence of national tournaments are no longer held. 

Babu’s team must get Uganda affiliated to ITF again. 

Sponsors do not pay affiliation fees for associations and the use of ULTA officials’ personal contributions is not sustainable. 

ULTA must devise means of clearing the arrears and pay annual affiliation of US $4000 to ITF.

Schools development programme

The on-going grass roots development programme must be comple¬mented with the revival of the national schools tournaments that were regular in the previous decade.

Reactivation of upcountry clubs

It’s over 15 years since a national tournament was played outside Kampala which has turned the sport into a city affair. 

Upcountry clubs were unheard of during the annual assembly. 

Babu and his team shoulder the task of reactivating upcountry clubs in Jinja, Soroti, Mbale and Mbarara among others. 

Revival of the women’s game

ULTA has to pay special attention to the women’s game which is virtually on its knees. 

The declined level of the women’s game in Uganda is manifested by the absence of local title contenders in the Uganda Open.

Technical capacity building

Besides John Kasule and John Oduke who are on their way out, there are hardly any other coaches in Uganda. 

Children have had to rely on players to train them. 

Babu will have to lobby ITF for coaching courses.

Then the tough and controversial task of recovering Lugogo Tennis courts. 

The issue of ULTA losing Lugogo Tennis Club to a private individual dominated the assembly which believes the courts can revert to the association. 

National Council of Sports (NCS) has a running contract with Segawa to run the facility that he has renovated. Babu’s executive will be at war.

What’s Babu’s priority? 

“We have got to put structures in place, come up with a strategic plan and get the structures to function,” Babu told New Vision. 

“Once the structures are in place, everything will not be about the chairman. 

“We have so far paid US$7000 to ITF from our pockets but that’s not sustainable. I am in touch with the ITF asking them to be lenient with us,” 

He went on, “Then we shall have to be creative in the way we manage events and sponsorships so that we are able to pay our affiliation fees promptly,” Babu explained.