When President Paul Kagame hosted the Amavubi Stars at state house in Kigali on Thursday, he read an inspiring speech to the extremely attentive players and officials.
Each sentence from his mouth counted for something. You could depict his inner passion for the team and football in general.
Word for word, his speech reads in part;
Go with the determination that you must win but determination must be backed by execution.
Try and fail but don’t fail to try.
Trying is a responsibility. That thing you hold back may be the goal. Don’t give up, but don’t be too confident. Mean business.
Get the win as fast, as hard but as measured as possible keeping in mind you have even harder time ahead
On top of the match bonuses that he pays for every game played at CHAN, the number one citizen promised a blank cheque to the team, but only if they beat one team, Democratic Republic of Congo.
He knows each of the 23 players by name – needless to add their respective clubs.
As the dinning and speech went on at State House, I kept asking myself which sports leader my country before you go to President Museveni can tell all the 23 names of the Uganda Cranes players who traveled for the CHAN tournament.
Over the years, Rwanda has invested immensely in the sports and social amenities sector.
Prior to hosting the CHAN 2016 finals, the country christened to as the ‘land of 1000 hills’ had successfully hosted the African U-17 and U-20 championship.
Now with four proven stadia and the corresponding training grounds nearby, they passed the mandatory initial litmus test – the playing turf.
Add to the well-developed road network, hotel and other accommodation facilities, the internet fibre system spread across the nation has eased e-communication; another reflection that a major tournament can be hosted.
Uganda, too can ‘borrow the Rwanda leaf’ with specific emphasis on development of sports infrastructure.
The other day, I was at the Serena International Hotel in Kigali City at a joint CAF-CHAN local organizing committee press conference.
As CAF Vice president, Kabele Camara showered endless praise to Rwanda, my mind quickly rushed back home in Uganda – not because I am already home sick, but to compare what I have seen in Rwanda for the three weeks and my home country.
Uganda has Nelson Mandela National Stadium, Nakivubo Stadium and the Mutesa II stadium as the three major playing facilities.
Aside a poorly maintained Namboole, the rest can never be mentioned in the same class as the Kigali Regional Stadium and the city Amahoro.
Even the countryside playing facilities in Huye and Rubavu look promising.
There is potential for Kakindu, Bugembe, Kavumba, Mehta, Champions Stadium (Mwerere), Kakyeka, Aki Bua (Arua), Pece (Gulu) and Mbale Municipal Stadium.
The quest to develop these respective sports amenities stems from a number of factors, key of which is to entrust leadership with sports-oriented personalities.
Febuary 2016 is a deciding moment for the destiny of Uganda in the next five or so years. Electing of the leaders who will stand up in parliament and table a motion of re-developing Mbale Municipal Council Stadium for instance.
A modern stadium is estimated at Ugx 6.5-8 billion.
This is money that sounds astronomical to particular individuals but a drop in the sea for the central government.
Uganda has the potential to be like Rwanda or even better.
