Last updated on September 11th, 2021 at 03:03 pm
Newly appointed National Council of Sports Chairman Donald Rukare will serve both council and the UOC simultaneously and is looking forward to a time where a merger of the two can be implemented.
Speaking during a function organised by the Uganda Olympic Committee (UOC) at their offices, attended by some association heads, on Monday, Rukare said his appointment provides a unique opportunity to try and harmonize both entities.
“I don’t think serving both will be a major problem and in any case, I also think it reduces transaction costs in many ways,” Rukare who also serves on many international bodies said.
“It is only the swimming presidency that is going to be affected and the transition to a new president will happen soon. My other roles are not full time; most of them are advisory and they don’t need much time and will remain as they are, the only major change is going to be with USF,” Rukare stated.
Speaking in support of his appointment UOC president William Blick said there is no problem operationally and constitutionally barring him from holding the two posts of UOC General Secretary and NCS Chairman.
“At the Olympic Committee and we have consulted with the IOC there is no problem one person holding both positions; as you know there are a number of federations like in South Africa and Germany where the national council and the Olympic committee are merged as one sporting entity so at this moment in time there is no constitutional refrainment’s or issues that bar him,” Blick said.
“We are excited as UOC for the appointment of our own, as the UOC family we are happy and we shall support him. He is a hard-working person who also serves on international associations which goes on to show that he is hardworking and we are here to thank the first lady, the state minister Hamson Obua for appointing him,”.
Rukare said his appointment came as a surprise but was ready for the challenge.
“I want to thank my colleagues at UOC, and we look forward to working together to see how we can move forward the agenda of sports development and as you all know I will still be here at UOC and it will be an interesting combination of how we are going to try and merge the two roles. I think it is a unique opportunity for us to be able to try and ensure that we move sports forward,” Rukare stated.
He said their major role was going to be providing strategic guidance to the secretariat and the sports sector.
“We are going to be looking at what the law demands of us, and it is going to be a team effort of all the members and we shall soon meet and chart a way forward on policy, funding, facilities but what is the most important thing is we need to work together in a collective way,”
Uganda Table tennis Association president Robert Jjagwe who spoke on behalf of the associations said it was an honour to the sports federations and associations to have Rukare as Chairman of NCS.
“It is extremely pleasing and warming to our hearts to see that for all the possible people that could have been appointed as Chairman NCS the minister chose you. This is one of the best choices that could have been made, so this is truly an excellent choice and I must say it is absolutely the end of the squabbles between UOC and NCS,”
Uganda Cycling Association Chairman Sam Muwonge also commended the minister for the choice and Rukare for his dedication to sports and hard work.
