“Nyege Nyege Aside, Sports Federations are Starving Because of No Money”, Parliament Puts Ministry of Finance on the Hook

In the 2022/23 financial year budget read at the end of June 2022, allocated 47 billion shillings to sports sub sector and the sports fanatics praised government for raising the budget.

But it’s like started at ended in parliament, the arm that passed it and the sport only heard smiles but till now, the federations haven’t received their first quarterly release apart from the Commonwealth games Cash.

In his submission in the Tuesday plenary, the Bukooli County Central member of Parliament, Solomon Silwany reported to the deputy speaker, Right Honorable Thomas Tayebwa that sports federations failed to fullfil their mandate because of no money and yet the parliament passed their budget.

“….. Rt Hon. Speaker we all recall, during last budget cycle when we were making budget here, we budgeted money for different federations, football, athletics, netball, name them and after budgeting, we went ahead and ring fenced that money, what happens is that, the ministry of finance only against the will of this parliament, released money for commonwealth games and ended on that.” Hon. Solomon submitted.

” Right Honorable speaker, as we talk now, Uganda Cranes qualified to CHAN, She Cranes qualified for 2023 World Cup…. This is the chance that rarely comes, but federations are stuck, they don’t have money, which money was passed by this parliament but ministry of finance has bruntantly has not released any money yet this money was ring fenced. ” He added.

” Right Honorable speaker, you find us discussing Nyege Nyege and we leave out important sports issues. My prayer is, the ministry of finance explains why does not released the money to sports federations and then immediate action be taken by the government to support these federations.”

In his reply, the deputy Speaker Tayebwa asked finance minister to return with the answer in the next seating.

However, the former state minister for sports and the current government chief whip Hon. Hamson Obua throw light about the issue on why the sports sector did not receive quarter one release.

“I am the immediate state minister for sports, I want to submit that, first of all , we are coming from challenging times, you aware that in the last two to three financial years, the sports budget was reduced from 25bn to 17bn to 10bn shillings, but with the support of the cabinet and this parliament, this financial year, the budget has risen to 47bn shillings, unfortunately, the release for quarter one did not capture the component to support the different federations, it’s not only football.” Chief whip submitted.

“We should say, all sports disciplines did not receive any release, the reason given by finance is that we run a cut budget….. We engage with PS who committed that funding to support the different sports disciplines will be released in the quarter two. This commitment from permanent secretary and secretary to treasury. ” 

Now it remains in balance to see whether what the former minister revealed will come to pass come next quarter.