The special committee that was put in place by the Buganda Kingdom minister of sports, leisure and recreation Owek. Henry Moses Ssekabembe Kiberu to oversee the revitalization of the Bika Bya Baganda (Inter clans) football and netball competitions has undertaken its work on a promising note.
This committee is headed by former Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) football club chairman Julius Kabugo.
Samuel Mpiima is the secretary with the committee members as Sulaiman Magala (Bika organizing committee chairman), Sulaiman Ssejjengo (Masaza Cup local organizing committee chairman), Samuel Mpoza (sports journalist), Hassan Badiru Zziwa (sports journalist), Rose Kaala, Daniel Katabira and Owek. Mujjabi (Katikkiro w’Ekika ky’Enseenene).
Kabugo has steered a series of meetings with various stakeholders of sports in the country and Buganda Kingdom, key administrators, sponsors and lately the media.
In a meeting with some sports media personalities at Bulange Mengo, Kabugo indicated that the work has so far progressed well and in the right desired direction.
We are committed to keep this tournament vibrant once again and popular just like it was in the yester-years. The Kabaka is very passionate about the Bika Bya Baganda football and netball tournament since it forges unity among his subjects. We have interacted with a couple of key stake holders and they are all positive. The tournament needs immediate re-branding with a new logo, vision and mission statement to give it a new facelift. We have also suggested a change in the playing format from the known old playing format.
Julius Kabugo, Chairman Bika Revitalizing Committee
Suggested amendments:
The new tournament committee shall now be known as the Bika Football and Netball Committee, only legible for the official known 54 clans within Buganda Kingdom.
The Bika Football and Netball Committee (BFNC) will be under the Kabaka and transcends down to the Prime minister (Katikiro), in close supervision of the Minister of Sports, Leisure and Recreation, Owek. Ssekabembe, Local Organizing committee, disciplinary panel, appeals committee and others.
The clan heads shall be responsible to appoint their own management committees for easy execution of work tasks at hand.
The tournament will be held every year unless in case of disasters just like COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 and 2021.
Decision making will be purely between the individual clans and Bika Football and Netball Committee
In every year, there will be a new theme to rhyme with the Kingdom objectives like it has been over the years.
Challenges:
Kabugo highlighted some of the challenges that have hampered the hitherto smooth progress of this championship.
These were entailed as; heavy investment with little returns, misuse of gate collections, clan heads being not been respected, lack of transparency, some clans not getting the opportunity to grace the opening matches of the tournament, undue favours of some clans, limited funding from Buganda Kingdom by the treasury
Going Forward:
A couple of rich ideas have been since suggested to help put right what has gone amess over the years.
Among the ideas brought on table have been seeking for money (sponsorships) starting with companies based in Buganda Kingdom, holding of annual assemblies (one for football and netball), the right governance and leadership, transparency for all the people right from the ordinary fans to the top leadership, teams being presentable with good jerseys (because the right branding will attract more corporate sponsors), holding of annual prize awards to reward those who have done well, ensuring more professionalism within the teams; players, technical departments (coaches), avoiding criticisms within the Bika football and netball family, use all avenues of the media to promote the Bika football and netball tournaments, liaising with stadium owners to use the available playing grounds (also encouraging individual clans to own playgrounds), re-branding the Bika Football Tournament (New Logos, Mission statement and Vision), change in playing format (Knock out first and then teams divided into groups at the round of 16) and the emphasis should be given to talents outside the Uganda Premier League to bring on board new talents.
The suggested new format is envisaged as a lee-way of ensuring more playing time for the clans.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2020 edition was not held as the situation is closely being monitored prior to the commencement of the 2021 edition.
Mbogo is the reigning champion.
Bika Revitalizing Committee:
- Chairman: Julius Kabugo
- Secretary: Samuel Mpiima
- Members: Sulaiman Magala, Sulaiman Ssejjengo, Samuel Mpoza (NTV), Hassan Badiru Zziwa, Rose Kaala, Daniel Katabira, Owek. Mujjabi (Katikkiro w’Ekika ky’Enseenene)
All Bika Football Tournament Winners since 1950:
- 1950: Mbogo
- 1951: Ngabi Nsamba
- 1952: Mmamba Gabunga
- 1953: Not Held
- 1954: Not Held
- 1955: Kkobe
- 1956: Mmamba Gabunga
- 1957: Nyonyi Nyange
- 1958: Ngeye
- 1959: Mmamba Gabunga
- 1960: Ffumbe
- 1961: Bbalangira and Kkobe
- 1962: Nkima
- 1963: Not Held
- 1964: Mmamba Gabunga
- 1965: Mmamba Gabunga
- 1987: Ngabi Nsamba
- 1988: Lugave
- 1989: Mmamba Gabunga
- 1990: Lugave
- 1991: Ngeye
- 1992: Ngeye
- 1993: Nkima
- 1994: Mmamba Gabunga
- 1995: Lugave
- 1996: Mpindi
- 1997: Nnyonyi
- 1998: Lugave
- 1999: Lugave
- 2000: Mpologoma
- 2001: Ngo
- 2002: Mpologoma
- 2003: Mmamba Gabunga
- 2004:Lugave
- 2005: Ffumbe
- 2006: Mpindi
- 2007: Ngabi Nsamba
- 2008: Kkobe
- 2009: Ffumbe
- 2010: Nte
- 2011: Mmamba Gabunga
- 2012: Ngeye
- 2013: Ngabi Nsamba
- 2014: Mmamba Gabunga
- 2015: Mbogo
- 2016: Nte
- 2017: Nte
- 2018: Nkima
- 2019: Mbogo
Very NYC really this z the way to go if we are to promote our talents Uganda needs people like Mr David Isabirye Sir keep it up.