Rays of Grace Academy Director, Kiwanuka Reveals 10-Point Plan for Youth Football once Elected UYFA Chair
Rays of Grace Academy Director has revealed his vision for Uganda Youth Football Association with releasing of Manifesto.
Rays of Grace Academy Director has revealed his vision for Uganda Youth Football Association with a release of his amazing Manifesto prior to elections.
UYFA Chairmanship hopeful Roberts Kiwanuka released his Manifesto on Tuesday 4th, May 2021, revealing plans to improve and add on what has been done by the previous leadership.
Uganda Youth Football Association Delegates to FUFA General Assembly will be voted on Saturday 8th May.
In his bid to lead Youth Football in Uganda, Kiwanuka will battle against Mansoor Kabugo of Kampala Junior Team (KJT) and Farouk Kigongo the current FUFA Youth delegate from Namasuba Juventus.
Kiwanuka released his 10 – point action plan he intends to put in place if he is elected the Chairman UYFA.
“My decision to contest as Chairman Uganda Youth Football Association came after seeing the incumbent and long serving Chairman John Bosco Masiko failed to return to the Assembly as a Delegate from Kampala Region.” Stats Roberts Kiwanuka
1. Standards of Football,
This is the first point that Kiwanuka pledges to undertake when elected.
He promises to reflect youth in all Football activities in the Country let it be Academies, Schools or Youth National Teams
Kiwanuka`s strategy is to improve the standards of football expertise among the youth through raising the competence of the coaches and availing coaching opportunities to those disadvantaged youth within the country.
He states this will be done through conducting regular and free training sessions for youth coaches nationwide and enforcing a grading mechanism that will rate the coaches according to competence.
Undertaking recruitment and facilitation of volunteer coaches to work in disadvantaged areas and Schools to raise the standards of youth football in the country.
He will as well ensure that football academies comply with FUFA guidelines on youth football because he believes this will raise the standard of the game among youths.
2. Funding
Kiwanuka is saying there is an urgent need to register the Association and attain a corporate status to enable it solicit funds for its operations from other organizations.
Kiwanuka intends to run a fundraising strategy that will cater for the funds needed to run the activities of the association. UYFA operates on subscription from academies and FUFA funding, and if there are no sufficient funds, the association will not be able to achieve its mandate. One of the main ways of attracting funding is through giving value to the sponsors and putting in place a clear accountability system.
While maintaining the sufficient reserves available to the association, it will be possible to double the financial assistance program for the association, whose budget appears to be at its lowest.
3. Competitions:
His team will ensure that the youth are provided with a clear road map to more football professionalism, through organizing and popularizing regular competitions throughout the country. This is to promote the spirit of competition and inclusiveness.
Kiwanuka`s leadership will closely supervise the matches to promote fairness, professionalism and ensure that all activities are done in accordance with the laws of the game.
introduction of U15 Academy League for both girls and boys. This will be played at regional level.
4. Media Strategy:
Football is all about opportunity and exposure. Kiwanuka intends to run a robust and active media strategy that will see the Association engaging with established media houses and social media activists to ensure that youth football is given wide coverage, with the aim of exposing the talent of the youths and thus uncover countless opportunities for them.
5. Health Education:
A healthy nation is a wealthy nation.
According to Roberts, safety and healthy of footballers on field and in life generally.
Kiwanuka pledges to undertake a sensitization program that will cover youth from all parts of the country. This program will not be limited to the dangers of HIV/AIDS and other sexually transmitted diseases, but also will educate them on the dangers of substance abuse and the need to maintain a healthy lifestyle.
The program will also lobby for increased youth access to quality health care, in particular, providing regular medical checkups to the young footballers.
I intend to continuously engage the youth who are actively playing in the sport of football to live healthy lifestyles and sensitize them through seminars, workshops, all organized for purposes of promoting healthy players.
6. Sustainability of Programs:
The principle of sustainability is an important one, especially in football.
Kiwanuka and his team, want to ensure that the programs initiated are sustained to provide value to the end user.
7. Community Empowerment:
The programs in Kiwanuka’s manifesto are aimed at developing not only the youth but also the community which those youth come from. This can be done through creating linkages and cooperation with other organizations to empower and support those communities.
8. Education Opportunities:
Kiwanuka’s administration is intending to work in conjunction with educational institutions and donors to ensure that all capable youth are provided an opportunity to pursue their academic studies to the highest level possible.
The team also wants to boost schools and other academic centers with football equipment and technical support to ensure the development of football standards in the country.
In the spirit of inclusiveness, they want to enable accessibility of football academies to all kinds of youth especially the vulnerable and economically disadvantaged ones.
9. Creation of a Players’ Data Base and Decentralization of Registration of Academies:
For many football associations, the cost of registering a football academy with the relevant authorities can be costly to the pioneers of the academy because of the transport costs and other costs incidental to the registration.
Roberts wants to be a way of assisting those who spot talent and train youths in the game of football with the registration process, and where need be, ease on the modalities of registering their academies. In his first term, Roberts wants to promote decentralization of the registration of the football academies within their respective regions for smooth supervision.
Similarly, creation of a players’ database should be prioritized to ensure player observation and follow-up. This will assist in tracking the progress made by the players and thus be able to feed the National teams with good quality players.
The fact is; the cost of purchasing football equipment is too high because of the current economic situation and the low purchasing power.
Kiwanuka proposes to entrust the search for synergies and economies of scale in the procurement of modern football fields, balls, jerseys etc.
10. Setting up Task Forces for Regional Youth League Associations:
This program is initially targeting five regions namely, West Nile, North East, Eastern, Western and Buganda regions.
Under the authority of FUFA, representatives of these regions, stakeholders (including players), these task forces would be open to anyone (associations and leagues from other regions) who wishes to invest in helping football in these regions.
Football governance and engagement of stakeholders in the decision making process will be reinforced by the integration of these protagonists of our sport in the decision-making process. It will permit better preparation of regulations and making of decisions at the origin, and to implement them more effectively on the field.
How To Be Voted Chairman of UYFA?
For one to become Uganda Youth Football Association Chairperson, he/she must be voted a Youth Delegate to FUFA General Assembly.
Two People are mandated and trusted to represent Youth in the General assembly and one of the two is chosen to chair UYFA Executive committee.
Who Will Vote?
24 UYFA Regional Delegates will convene and Vote. These include Three from each of the Eight (8) FUFA Football regions.
Who is Robert Kiwanuka?
Kiwanuka Roberts was born on 15th August 1986. He studied from Sabina Primary School (Kyotera district), and then Kabale – Ssanje Secondary School (Kyotera district) for both O and A-Level Education. He pursued a Bachelors Degree of Music, Dance and Drama at Makerere University. He also holds a Diploma and an Advanced Certificate in Statistics and Organizational Management and Development.
He also holds a Football Management and Administration Course Certification (FAMACO Level 1).
He played football both at secondary and University levels. He was part of the University football team for all his time at the University and acted as the Sports Minister for Faculty of Arts Makerere University (2009- 2010).
He also played football with Green Valley Nangabo Football Club, Kasangati, before he left to start Rays of Grace Academy.
He is the founder and Director of Rays of Grace Academy and Schools. He holds a record of exceptional leadership and strategic vision management with a community-based sports development system, where poor and disadvantaged youth are provided with scholarships and an opportunity to develop their talents in a holistic manner.
Mr Kiwanuka also currently holds the following football administrative posts:
- Vice Chairman Buganda Sports Committee, Greater Mukono region.
- Member, Buganda Schools Sports Committee, Buganda Kingdom.
- Team Manager, Kyaggwe Ssaza Football team.
- Chairman, Njeru Municipality Schools Sports Committee.
- Member, Uganda Youth Football Association since 2018.
He is an educator and an administrator by profession. He has an unrivaled love of sports, that is, football in particular.
He founded and has managed the Rays of Grace Academy and Junior School since 2015. Among many other trophies, this Academy has `won the major trophies in the Junior category in Uganda as outlined below:
- National Primary Schools Championship organized by the Ministry of Education and Sports Uganda for 2018 and 2019 (current champions).
- UYFA 2018 Championship held in Mityana.
- FUFA ODILO 2019 National Primary School Championship – (current champions).
- Buganda Schools Cup (Kabaka Cup) 2018 and 2019 – (current champions).
- Airtel Rising Stars Buganda Region Championship 2018 and 2019 – (current champions).
The Academy also represented Uganda at the East African Schools Championship in Arusha, Tanzania in 2019, and has provided different players for both the U-15 and U-17 National teams.
The success of Rays of Grace Academy has been attributed to the excellent mobilization and management skills of Kiwanuka Roberts. He has the ability to take average youths and turn them into superstars. He also does this through having a keen eye for talent, being organised, thorough, accountable and hardworking.
His long-term goal is to promote youth football at all levels and to give a chance to talented youth to shine regardless of their background. He has built the ideal football academy and intends to replicate the same winning structure with other levels of youth football development.
Former UYFA Chairperson.
2017-2021: John Bosco Masiko
2012 – 2017: John Bosco Masiko
2008-2012: Late Katamba Eugine Musoke