All Africa Senior Badminton Championship 2021:
- 21st – 28th October
- At Lugogo Indoor Arena, Kampala
Uganda will once again be the center of attraction as the 2021 All Africa Senior Badminton Championship will be hosted at Lugogo Indoor Arena in the heart of the capital city, Kampala.
The tournament, the first of this magnitude to be hosted by Uganda will serve off on the 21st October and run for another 7 days ahead.
This comes at the opportune timing as the championship will be considered for the XXII Birmingham Commonwealth qualification games come 2022.
Officially, the championship has been launched at Mandela sports complex along 6th street in Kampala on Thursday, October 7, 2021.
During the same occasion, the Mandela Group of Companies offered an assortment of trophies, referees’ as well as umpires’ uniforms.
Two top seeded players on team Uganda; Gladys Mbabazi and Brian Kasirye graced the launch.
The duo expressed delight and readiness to take on the continent’s finest players, on home soil.
We are training well and ready for the All Africa Senior Badminton Championship 2021.
Brian Kasirye, male Badminton top seed in Uganda
Mbabazi, the best female player at the moment reechoed their readiness to play well at home.
Playing at home is different from playing away from home. We shall therefore maximize on this situation to play our hearts out in such a big tournament” Mbabazi stated.
Gladys Mbabazi, female Badminton top seed in Uganda
Team Uganda players are currently in non-residential training at the CFK Badminton Academy courts along Mawanda road in Kampala and will enter residential camp on Sunday, 10th October 2021.
The team has Mbabazi, Husina Kobugabe, Shamika Fadhila, Tracy Naluwoza, Meble Namakoye and Rajab Natasha.
The male team has top seed Kasirye, Friday Friday, Expedito Emuddu, Muzafar Lubega, Israel Daniel Wanagalya and Kenneth Comfort Mwambu.
Also in attendance at the launch were the other dignitaries as the National Council of Sports (NCS) deputy general secretary David Ssemakula Katende, Uganda Badminton President Annet Nakamya, long serving chief Executive Officer of Uganda Badminton Association Simon Mugabi, Cecilia Anyakoit (NCS board member and head of technical), Herbert Bashasha (City Tyres marketing manager) and other officials.
Mandela Group is actively involved in developing budding talent in the different sports and games disciplines like badminton, chess, football , basketball and cricket in Uganda. We see youth development as the cornerstone for the progress of Uganda and our active role in sports and games is a step in that direction. These are along the objectives of nurturing and developing young talent, promotion of good health and a platform for future national stars.
Herbert Bashasha, City Tyres marketing manager
Mugabi expressed the readiness to host such a big tournament that will have as many as 16 countries; Uganda (hosts), Algeria, Egypt, Nigeria, Ghana, Madagascar, Cameroon, South Africa, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Democratic Republic of Congo, Congo Brazzaville, Benin, Botswana, Mauritius and Reunion.
This is a big honour for Uganda to host such a continental championship for the first time. We are 100 percent ready having passed all the qualifications required by the Confederation of Badminton Africa (CBA) and the world’s body.
Simon Mugabi, CEO – Uganda Badminton Association (UBA)
Nakamya, the federation president lauded the continental badminton body, CBA and the world’s governing body for the opportunity presented to Uganda.
As Uganda, this is a great opportunity to host the continent’s biggest event in Badminton. We are humbled by CBA and the world Badminton Association. In January 2021, we hosted an international event that was also streamed live to the rest of the world. We showed ability to host international championships.
Annet Nakamya, President Uganda Badminton Association
On Monday, 11th October 2021, the referees’ and umpires course will commence in Kampala in preparation for this championship.
Besides individual categories (men and women singles), this tournament also has the team events as mixed doubles as well as the men and women doubles.
The tournament was last held in 2019 by Nigeria in Port Harcourt city and the 2020 edition planned for South Africa was cancelled because of the COVID-19 pandemic since most countries had travel restrictions beyond the boarder-lines.
