Kigo inmates vow to thump She Cranes

By Petride Mudoola  

Inmates of Kigo Prison Women’s netball team have vowed they can beat She Cranes once they are given the opportunity to play with the national team.

“With the netball drills acquired behind bars, we have mastered the game. The inmates' netball team has the capability to compete with She Cranes,” Rehema Kalyesubula, the team’s captain declared to New Vision.

This comes after the Kigo Women’s netball team overcame Uganda Telecom staff 11-3 in a game that was played to commemorate Mother’s Union Day at the detention facility over the weekend.

“We regularly go through drills that cover essentials such as shooting, passing, attacking movements, defensive movements and group play. Given the chance to play with the outside world, our team will definitely win,” Kalyesubula proudly said.

In order to boost talent behind bars, Kalyesubula appealed to prison authorities let them compete with teams outside. This, she says, will enable prisoners gain self-assurance.

Uganda Telecom staff had started the game on high note, taking a one goal lead before Kalyesubula opened a three-goal lead for the prisoners who proved better and clawed back to lead in the second quarter.

Harriet Namakoye, the Officer in Charge of Luzira Women’s Prison was pleased with the game saying sports offers a good ground of interaction.
 
“It is a wonderful way to serve the inmates and to build relationships with them. They have often come to this point of contemplation in their life and we are trying to assist them to walk away from their life of crime,” said Namakoye.

Prisons promised to offer coaching services to the inmates as this is one of the ways that they can be attracted to sports to become better people with little idle time.

At the end of the game, the Kigo team was presented with netballs to boost the game, a refrigerator, diapers for the inmates' children, clothing and shoes for the kids, sanitary towels for inmates, vaseline, bathing and washing soap.