In the recent past, City Oilers have set the standard in Uganda since their first National Basketball League season in 2013. The side has since claimed all seven titles, extended dominance to the region and has broken into the continental basketball.
The success Oilers have enjoyed on the court has a lot to do with off the court activities especially at management level and that has not gone unnoticed.
And on Friday, January 8, KIU Basketball took the first steps in as far as structing is concerned by announcing a board of directors that will be chaired by Mark Ssali.
“I decided to join KIU because I believe I should make a bigger contribution to a sport that has made me in so many ways,” Ssali told Kawowo Sports.
Ssali, a veteran journalist and former national team player, wants to steer the franchise to continental success.
“My target is that I would like to be able to work with the team, to create a team work atmosphere at KIU and work towards certain goals that I see. Those goals include; One… becoming very competitive in the league both Titans and Rangers and winning championships and trophies both here and abroad, becoming competitive on the continent and becoming a very big basketball brand as a franchise.
“Two… the development of young talent. That’s one of my passion to see that we to bring new, fresh blood into Uganda basketball and see them through to the top level. The third one is to ensure that we have a corporate presence in KIU as a franchise and Ugandan basketball in general.”
“I would like us to have a ten year program. Many of those results will come sooner than ten years but I would like to sit here in ten years and say look we have finally achieved these things. We have talent coming through we have trophies to show, we have the sponsors and partners and we have a home of our own.”