The Federation of Uganda Basketball Associations (FUBA) will go to polls next weekend.
Vying for the top seat to replace departing Ambrose Tashobya will be Grace Kwizera and Nasser Sserunjogi.
Kwizera has been serving as the Vice President in charge of Marketing and Publicity since 2017 when he replaced Ivan Ntabazi.
“I joined the executive after feeling there are things I would contribute to the game,” Kwizera says. “Prior to my coming, we had no sponsor for three or so seasons and when I came in we got one on board the same year.
“As that might sound boastful, sponsors are about relationships. We want to have the best product and I feel that me being part of the leadership of the federation we will be able to use our relationship to get sponsors.
“My priority is to have a longterm sponsor and everything else will fall in place. We need to have financial stability!”
Asked about the concern of refereeing, coaching and player development, Kwizera says it’s about the relationships built with other arms to help in capacity building.
“I’m about nurturing relationships – with government, international bodies as FIBA and NBA whose programs will help in capacity building in terms of refereeing and coaching.
“We are in a good place with the Junior NBA, however, it would ideal to have another follow up league after the Jr NBA. We haven’t achieved that yet but it’s part of our plan.
“It’s critical for us to have national team players and coaches paid by the government. We have a good standing in the five-a-side and even better in the 3×3. We have to get the government paying the 3×3 as we lobby for the senior five-a-side.
“I’m keen on further growing the 3×3 which is discipline in which we are excelling.”
With all individual at the federation working pretty much as volunteers, Kwizera’s ideal restructuring would be getting a CEO on board and not just individual.
“I would be keen on hiring a CEO. A person who would wake up and think for the federation and give us the day to day accountability.”