UNF PRESIDENT STORMS BACK TO OFFICE

BY: RAPHEAL LUBANGAKENE

Embattled President of the Uganda Netball Federation (UNF), Sarah Babirye Kityo, arrived pretty springy at the main office premises of the federation in Old Kampala on Friday morning. This became the base of the melo drama that would ensue. She was apparently there to recoup her position, which had been filled by Vice President, Brig Flavia Byekwaso.

In April this year, Kityo had been ordered by Education and Sports Minister, Janet Museveni to temporarily relinquish her position, for atleast three months, to allow a rigorous follow up of alleged corruption and grave hassle of the players a recent Pent series in 2021. This was after an exigent meeting featuring State Minister for Sports Patrick Ogwel. The air in the meeting buzzed with Kityo and Ogwel’s counteraccusation about mismanagement of funds with respect to financial outlays on netball related activities. This order was not written.

Since February, Police had been probing the matter about the expenses of 17 members of the netball delegates to Namibia, which was reportedly covered by the government of Namibia. Yet, UNF had received over Ush180M for the trip. The top dogs had failed to account for those outlays. And in May, Kityo was remanded to Luzira Prison on charges of fraud (Ushs16M) after a court hearing at Buganda Road Magistrates court.

And now three months later, Kityo was on Friday ushered to the office premises by some full-bore bliss delegates, whereafter a bunch of armed police forces crushed the party, directing her to leave at once. Byekwaso followed suit, demanding a writ. Looking agitated, she retorted; “My three months of leave are over, and I return to work today because I was voted to serve people, serve my country and the sport of netball.”

But she did not possess a writ to clear the mist. Although she argued it was not needed as she was priorly verbally relieved of her duties: “I have not yet received a letter that allows me to return to office, but I didn’t get a letter while I was being asked to step aside, therefore I return because our agreed period is over.” After a few phone calls of settlement, Byekwaso and the band of policemen marched out.

Kityo also clamoured to have wanted to know how the federation is being run and stroked reporters how everything would be under control.

This happened on the cusp of the approaching send off ceremony for the Cape town bound She Cranes – sadly begging more questions than answers, unravelling more issues than remedies. And now the federation hierarchy must provide those fitly answers.

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