FEASSSA Games, a bed rock of rich mass sport programs in the entire CECAFA region

20^th FEASSSA Games:

• Official opening ceremony – Saturday, August 19
• Opening match (Football – Boys)
• Ecose Musambira Vs Dagoretti High School
• Huye Stadium, Gisagara (3:30 PM)

The assertion that grass-root programs are the rich bed-rock of physical sports activities is 100% relevant and accurate.

Sports academies, primary and secondary schools, vocational institutions, universities as well as other tertiary learning institutions are clusters that affiliate to the grass-root sub-set.

In Eastern Africa, the Federation of East Africa Secondary School Association (FEASSSA) is one entity that boldly and strongly subscribes to the talent nurturing pool.

For twenty solid editions now, the FEASSSA Games have provided a basis of competition, talent scouting platform for affluent follow up programs, development and harnessing of the sports disciplines in the box.

Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania, Rwanda, Burundi, South Sudan and lately the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) are the members of FEASSSA.

The various country schools, sports associations and federations, backed up by their respective national Governments have also impacted a strong pillar of development positively through the good will, financial support, provision of athletes and other logistics.

The development of sports through the FEASSSA Games has been pro-gender with either sex considered in most games besides Rugby and Netball.

A pool of outdoor games as Soccer, Basketball, Tennis, Rugby, Hockey, Handball, Netball, Athletics and have been joined by indoor disciplines to include Swimming, Table Tennis and Badminton.

As the 20^th edition of the FEASSSA Games officially gets underway in Huye city, Rwanda, over 4000 student participants from the different countries shall grace the facilities and infrastructure in place.

From the previous FEASSSA Games held in Arusha city (Tanzania) in 2022, there was the advent of the U-15 boys and girls football as well as the games for the physically disabled.

This has proved to show the all-inclusiveness element of the organizers as the different countries assemble special Olympics teams.

Justus Mugisha, a vastly experienced sports administrator-cum-politician is the president of FEASSSA.

Mugisha is also the president of the Uganda Sports body (USSSA), president of the football commission at ISF and vice president of Federation of Uganda Football Associations (FUFA).

As a leader, Mugisha therefore brings a wealth of experience and hands-on expertise of mass sport arrangement to the local organizing team and the entire FEASSSA executive in general.

“As we receive teams from the different countries, FEASSSA is humbled for the drastic growth over the years. We anticipate great games in Huye city. The facilities for all the games are good, security top notch and the good-will from the Government of Rwanda is overwhelming. We are ready to kick off” Mugisha reveals.

Rwanda as a country was admitted to the FEASSSA group in 2005.

Three years later (2008), they hosted their first FEASSSA Games in the capital city, Rwanda.

This was followed by subsequent editions in 2015 (Huye) and 2018 (Musanze).

Now, Huye returns to host the games for the second time, the country’s fourth in as many years.

Besides the obvious platform to grant athletes with the opportunity to showcase their talents, it is an avenue to develop their skills, exposure, network as a pathway for further growth as well as general development of the host entity (schools, provinces, cities and the country in general).

Established sports stars have been built from the FEASSSA Games in all the sports disciplines from the different member countries.

A couple of sports facilities and accommodation amenities are put up because of these games existence and this leaves a lasting legacy even when the games are long done and dusted.

Saturday, August 19, 2023 marks the official kick off for the 20^th edition of the FEASSSA Games.

The lavish Huye International stadium will host the official opening and closing festivities.

Speeches and welcome remarks from the organizing team as well as the FEASSSA boss will spice up the day before a boy’s football duel between Rwanda’s Ecose Musambira and Dagoretti High School from Kenya at 3:30 PM.

Many countries are plotting of relaying these games live back to their respective audiences and the whole CECAFA region cannot wait for the kick off.

New records are bound to be set as the different teams have prepared to the brim with thrilling mouth-watering action expected to feed the eyes of over 25,000,000 people in the entire CECAFA region combined.

Sports is life and a way of life to life. We are all eager for the games to kick off.