Mark Ssali
3 November 2008
opinion
During a debate with fellow tv panellists on Sunday, I let slip that I wouldn't mind if the room occupied by Fufa and SDCA caught fire.
I hoped that the statement would go unnoticed but, seeing as it obviously didn't, I am obliged to explain that it was just a figure of speech underlining my beef with politicians.
Most of the people who attended that meeting on the running of the domestic league are either friends of mine or long-standing acquaintances; it is just that I know them so well as to wonder aloud if they are noble of cause.
One text message suggested that mine was a defence of Lawrence Mulindwa, but those who know me know that I couldn't care less whether Mulindwa or my next door neighbour was Fufa president.
It is evidently asking too much, but I will insist that the problems of our football will not be solved by politicking. And it just gets to me when a debate like ours is dominated by political talk, when the scoring exploits of Eric Obua and his URA teammates are squeezed into a corner of the back page because Mulindwa or some SDCA fella has hogged the headlines.
For Caesar Okhuti's hat-trick against Iganga to take a back seat to the politics surrounding his Bunamwaya team is a travesty.
The day our footballers and coaches become more important than the politicians is the day we will have arrived.
Run, people, run!
I have always treated corporate talk about 'giving back to the community' with skepticism borne of the suspicion that the companies involved get even more mileage from such ventures without necessarily boosting the said communities.
To be fair though, there are several exceptions to the rule and the MTN Marathon is at the very top of those.
The hope for Uganda is that this mammoth event grows to become the biggest of its kind in Africa, or even the continent's equivalent of the Boston, New York and London marathons.
It is not just about the cash prizes and other 'take-aways' that have inspired the raid by Moses Kipsiro and the Bukwo Brigade, as well as other athletes good enough to fancy some money in their pockets.
And it is not just that the proceeds from the event go to assorted charities, to causes like the plight of the people in the north etc.
It is also that several men and women across the country, who would otherwise spend the day at work and the evening at the local pub filling up on booze and red meat, instead hit the road and the gym for a good many months preparing to participate, making for a much healthier nation than would ideally be.
Registration closed yesterday with a full house. Now, if only my doctor had let me.
Formula One example
Every time one is on the verge of declaring Ugandan sport an organisational basket case, you run into a model group like I did with the Formula One Association of Uganda on Sunday.
Having been invited to their customary gathering at Club Silk, this time for the title-decider between Lewis Hamilton and Felipe Massa in Brazil, the only thing I could fault F1 Uganda on is being predominantly Ferrari!
Seriously, even the most cursory of looks tells the story of a very well run organisation.
Founded four years ago by people like Oscar Semweya of Taibah Schools and lawyer David Mpanga among others, here is an association which has gone from strength to strength and should be an example to the rest.
They hold elections every year (Chairman Gaurav Patel, Treasurer Ken Mwai, Organising Secretary Joshua Halonda and Social Secretary Patrick Oyulu are currently in charge); they have corporate sponsorship (Shell fuelled Sunday's event); they are not money-making and donate any proceeds to charity (they are supporting the Kiwatule Children's Home for example); they do community service (they have painted zebra crossings etc), are a true fraternity and are recognised by the Federation of Motorsport Clubs in Uganda (FMU). Now, if only the rest could follow.
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