No season in the entire is as eagerly awaited as the festive times.
World over, hundreds of people are merry making, Uganda inclusive.
Saint Nicholas (Kris Kringle), popularly known as Santa Claus is on a tour to every home as he generously awards and offers special gifts for the treasured Christmas day and the new year, 2018 in a few days’ time.
This is the special time that many have to jubilant with family members, workmates, lovers, friends and foes alike.
Uganda is not left out of the box and surely Santa Claus is here to offer special gifts to the different excelling sports icons and teams that have toppled the rest throughout the year.
Similarly, Santa is here to give free tips on how to maintain the status quo and perform better in the next 365 days and beyond.
A lot is expected in the year 2019. Many football fans across the divide will eagerly await for the year with huge expectations.
To all the Uganda sports federations, Santa offers heartfelt appreciation for all the exceptional sporting disciplines and sportsmen alike.
The different sports personalities and federations would definitely wish to whisper a word or two to Santa Claus.
From the Ministry of Education and Sports, Uganda Olympic Committee (UOC), the National Council of Sports, sports commissions to the respective sports federations, Santa Claus has the best wishes and aspirations.
Football Family:
Santa is well aware of the thrills offered by the football sport and in Uganda, the family whispers thank you to Santa for the footballing year gone by.
It is a golden year especially for the Uganda Cranes who returned to the Africa Cup of Nations tournament in 2019 (to be hosted by either Egypt or South Africa).
The Uganda U-17 national team also qualified for the AFCON U-17 that will be staged in Tanzania come March 2019.
Santa has Shs 475M to every member on the Uganda Cranes and U-17 team teams that made
For the third year in a row, Santa has prepared chocolates and vuvulezas for Onduparaka Football Club fans.
The chocolates are wrapped in special green hamper pack as he green and white vuvulezas and fevelas are meant to further motivate these special fans for the passionate cheering during domestic football matches.
Santa wishes the best for the various local leagues from division two, first division, the FUFA Big League, National Beach Soccer League and the Uganda Premier League.
As christmas champions who are top of the other 15 top flight sides, KCCA FC players are each given yellow balls and a brand new set of jersey.
Vipers League Champions, KCCA Uganda Cup victors:
2018 witnessed Vipers and Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) win the Uganda Premier League and Uganda Cup trophies respectively.
Vipers Junior Team also won the FUFA Juniors League.
Santa has a cash reward of Shs 500M to each of the clubs as well as brand new sets of jerseys.
In the same year, KCCA FC played at the lucrative CAF Champions League group stages for the very first time.
Santa has carried with him 300 pairs of playing boots and shin guards to the players as they prepare for the play-offs of the CAF Confederation Cup.
He also carries a glittering synthetic Christmas tree to every member on the Vipers and KCCA teams.
Santa has gifts too for the Singo Ssaza team, winners of the 2018 Airtel Masaza cup and Buddo S.S for clinching a double – Copa coca cola and East Africa secondary schools’ football titles.
Beach Soccer:
With the national beach soccer league at the half way mark, Santa will dwell the attention to the national team, the Uganda Sand Cranes who endured 1,669.7 kilometers by road from Kampala to Dar es salaam for the second edition of the Copa Dar es salaam beach soccer championship.
For finishing third in the championship, Santa offers the players special energy drinks to freshen up.
It was a year Uganda landed the right to host the AFCON 2020 hosting rights. Santa sends over angels to FUFA to guide them in the preparations.
Basketball:
City Oilers basketball club will get special gifts of branded sneakers for winning their sixth national championship.
The City Oilers defeated Power 81-73 in the final game win the best of seven series 4-1.
On the ladies’ front, Just Kip Livin’ (JKL) Lady Dolphins clinched their first ever national title, winning the final game over Uganda Christian University (UCU) 66-63 to win the best of five series 4-0.
Santa accords each member on the JKL Lady Dolphins team a cash reward of Shs 5M and a Christmas hamper pack.
Rugby:
Santa is well aware that the Rugby premiership has just taken the break to grant the players a breather in these festive days.
Special gifts (mouth guards and brand new rugby balls) are offered to the reigning league champions, Pirates Rugby Club.
Pirates also won the Coronation and Kyadondo sevens tournaments.
Netball:
In a year that Uganda won the Africa Netball university championship, Santa offers each member of the triumphant squad a brand new pair of sneakers and a cash package of $6000 each.
With Suzan Anek serving yet another term in office as the Uganda Netball Federation president, Santa has an assortment of items to offer her.
Santa has a latest journal from the international netball federation, 1500 netballs, jerseys (50 pairs) and a grant of $100,000 for netball development programmes in Uganda.
Pool:
The game is normally played and enjoyed in entertainment hubs and bars.
Santa follows every cue shot on the Pool tables in every corner of the country by the over 6000 players.
To the reigning National Pool Champion, Mansoor ‘Muto’ Bwanika, Santa offers a special cue and pool table to the champion.
In the same vein, Santa has built a new house for the first ever national female champion Ritah Nimusiima.
Joseph Kasozi and Rashid Mutesi, recent winners of the Christmas pool championship at the D-Arena Bar and Grill in Kampala are given wonderful fully lit and decorated X-mas trees and fully stocked gift hampers with a cash reward of Shs 10M each.
Golf:
As Santa flies over to deliver the gifts and inspirational talk, he is all over the different the golf courses across the country with a big risk the golf balls over the skyline can even hit him
The eagle’s eye and birdies are as eye catching as many rookies hope to target just that.
Santa wishes the golf family a bright Christmas time.
For winning the 2018 Uganda Amateur Golf Championship, Ronald Otile will get a new kit from Santa and $10000 as he embarks on a the road to professionalism.
Athletics:
Santa has a special cock each for the Uganda Athletics Federation (UAF) and Joshua Chepetegei for the two gold medals won at the 2018 Olympic games, alongside the other medallists.
Volleyball:
Santa wishes the Ugandan Volleyball fraternity the best Christmas Holidays ever.
He offers special nets and balls to all the clubs in the top flight and lower divisions as well as schools and other learning institutions.
Cricket:
The Cricket family, like the rest of the group will be eager to receive Santa Claus.
Given a sad year for the Cricket Cranes after a poor showing at the Division 3 qualifiers in Oman, Santa has consolation gifts for the members on the national team.
True, Santa does not like mediocre performances, but cricket being the gentleman’s sport, Santa will accord them special Care and time.
Chess:
Santa has a special golden chess board for each member of the Uganda team that won the inaugural Africa Chess online league.
He also congratulates Patrick Kawuma, winner of the 2018 Rwabushenyi memorial tourney with fully sponsored trips to the best tourism destination in the country.
Motorsport:
Santa has a brand new rally car for female motorist Suzan Muwonge winner of the 2018 National Rally Championship. Along with the car, comes free servicing for a entire year.
For the rest of the games, Woodball, Cricket, Table Tennis, Badminton, Swimming, Darts, Boxing, Lawn Tennis, Hockey, Athletics, Polo, Kick boxing, Lacrosse, Handball Santa says keep up the spirit as the struggle continues.
Santa sends a special congratulatory message to Ndejje University for coming top of over 40 universities at the 2018 East African University Games in Dodoma.
Sports Reporters In Uganda:
Under the new leadership of Patrick Kanyamozi, Santa calls upon unity among the sports journalists in country under the umbrella body, Uganda Sports Press Association (USPA).
To the respective sports journalists, Santa has categorized their gifts.
One group will share the wines and spirits pack, an online journal and a container of laptops to the others.
Santa has also created a new whats-up group for the sports journalists, only to be used in this festive epoch.
MERRY CHRISTMAS AND A PROSPEROUS 2019