Netball in Another Financial Scandal, But this time Not Babirye
The dishonesty in the world of sports opts not to end soon in Uganda since very moment there be unearthed dirties in different disciplines.
Recently, Netball has been topping the chat of the sports disciplines in Uganda with ‘hot’ wrangles, both financial and governance and the root causers of such are the sports governing body in the country National Council of Sports officials and UNF leaders.
First forward, while Hon. Babirye Kityo Sarah was still active as the Uganda Netball Federation president in 2023, her federation signed an agreement with Netball England to have an International Test Series in January 2024 as it was in October 2022.
However, the time of the tournament, the just concluded Vitality Netball Nations Cup, Hon. Babirye Kityo Sarah and her executive were found out of the office and the Normalization Committee under Moses Mwase was in charge.
After returning home from England, a local website, (wallnetnews.com) released a story on 1st February 2024 citing that the She Cranes players/ contingent of 18 people were supposed to receive £45 [216000/-] everyday as per diem from England for a period of 13 days, that is equivalent to 2.8m at the current foreign exchange rate. But they didn’t receive that amount.
The following day, a letter dated 2nd February, 2024 ‘from’ World Netball was shared on social media clearing the air about the per diem of the She Cranes’ players. This letter was written to Normalization Committee chairperson Moses Mwase and it was signed by Angela Sanderson ACMA CGMA, head of finance and governance at World Netball.
This letter whether fake of genuine lifted the eyebrows of Ugandans, asking questions with no immediate answers.
Remember the agreement was between Uganda Netball and England Netball and the 22 pages agreement has nothing like World Netball to handle any proceedings between the two parties, [England and Uganda] .
In that agreement, Uganda was to cater for the meal costs of it’s team, England was giving Accommodation, inland travel and per Diem to 18 persons.
Going back to State Minister for sports Hon. Peter Ogwang while on floor of Parliament, he confirmed to Honorable Uganda Parliament that the amount that was going to cater for She Cranes in Africa Netball Championship, where they didn’t go, it was channelled to facilitate the trip to England and that money was already sent to Normalization Committee.
“The National Council of Sports had released funds for the said championship, and those funds are available with the normalization committee to facilitate the team in the forthcoming international-ranking tournaments.” said Peter Ogwang [pulse Uganda Sports quote].
When he got time yesterday, Hon. Peter Ogwang went on his Official “X” handle and attacked Wallnetnews that it released a malicious article.
“I have established the following:-
1) On 1st Feb 2024, a malicious article was published on wallnetnews.com falsely accusing the UNF Normalization Committee of not paying a daily allowance of £45 to the She Cranes for the just concluded International Netball Series in Wales and England.
2. This allowance was supposed to be a contribution of the hosting federations payable to the She Cranes per the commitment agreement signed by three nations Federations.
3. During past UK Tours, the said allowances were not remitted to the She Cranes players by the UNF leadership as required which was made known to the Normalization Committee.
3. For the said anomaly, the UNF Normalization Committee and World Netball resolved that the allowance should be remitted in kind and accordingly paid directly to the hotels where the She Cranes stayed, to cater for meals, for the team.
4. It’s important to note that, in case such money was sent in the previous period by the international federation then it went directly to the local federation not government. The law only demands declaration of such funds to government.
5. Government of Uganda contributed an allowance of USD 1000 to each player, and also met the team travel costs and the pre-Series Camp training.
6. The statement by World Netball of 2nd Feb 2024 was issued to dispel the malicious publication by wallnetnews.com which were baseless and meant to turnish the Normalization Committee.
7. Such attack on my personality and government is either an act of ignorance, malice or diversionary.
I thank world netball for once again putting clarity to this matter.” – Minister posted.
According to the 2022 agreement, this website got a copy, there was nothing like per Diem like Minister stated in item three of his submission.
In that agreement, Uganda was to cater for everything, and nothing came from world Netball nor England.
Who is fooling how in this?