UBSA convened its 11th Ordinary General Assembly on Saturday 2nd September 2023 at Buganda Royal Institute in Mengo, Kampala.
The President of Africa Beach Soccer Union (ABSU) – Mahmud Hadejia also attended the meeting via zoom.
Uganda Beach Soccer Association (UBSA) is one of the 34 members that constitute the football governing body – Federation of Uganda Football Associations (FUFA), and it fulfilled its statutory requirement of holding the Annual General Meeting.
The 11th UBSA assembly has appointed new association’s independent auditors, Julimo and Associates have been appointed and replaced Abacus and Associates whose term of four years was expired.
The assembly has also passed the budget of UGX 281,500,000 for the year 2023/2024, as well as the activity calendar for the 2023/2024 season.
In his remarks, the chairman of UBSA, Deo Mutabazi took the chance to remind the delegates of the accomplishments the Association registered in the past one year.
“As per our calendar, we were able to run the National Beach Soccer League and successfully completed it with St. Lawrence University BSC emerging the winner. We had fabulous finals at FUFA Technical Centre. I thank all the teams for their sportsmanship and organization,” he said.
“We also partnered with the Uganda Women Football Association and successfully run the National Women Beach Soccer League with a glamorous final at FUFA Technical Centre. The league was won by Asubo Gafford WFC.”
“The super four cup and the end of year women beach soccer festival were held and won by St. Lawrence and Uganda Martyrs High School BSC respectively.”
“The national team – the Sand Cranes took part in the COSAFA beach soccer tournament in Durban South Africa and also qualified for the AFCON beach soccer finals that took place in Mozambique.”
On the matter of governance, Mr. Mutabazi said:
“We have maintained our governance principles as provided for by our statutes to undertake our governance obligations to ensure compliance and continued stability of the association.”
“Despite the economic hardships, we have continued to serve our members. All our statutory obligations have been given due attention and consideration.”
Despite all those miles moved, the chairman said that the inadequate beach soccer infrastructure remains a plague to the game but the association is tirelessly working tooth and nail to provide the solutions.
“The issue of infrastructure has remained the major challenge affecting our efforts to develop the game in the country. But in our efforts to address this challenge, we have partnered with other private people to develop beach soccer pitches in the country.”
“We have an understanding with Samach Beach in Busabala and we have also reached an understanding with the management of St. Lawrence University to build a modern beach soccer pitch at their main campus in Rubaga, Kampala.”
“Same efforts are with FUFA regional football associations to incorporate the game among their activities and provide facilities for the game within their areas. Kitara has already picked interest.”
He also took some time off to appeal to the mother body – FUFA to introduce prize money for the women’s beach soccer league.
“All the men’s competitions have prize money but it is lacking on the women’s side. FUFA should kindly help us in that area as well,” he politely said.
Africa Beach Soccer Union president – Mahmud Hadejia from Nigeria through zoom lauded UBSA and FUFA for remaining committed towards developing the game in the country and Africa at large.
“We have been following closely what Uganda is doing regarding women beach soccer. We are really excited about the progress Uganda has made over the years and I believe a lot of countries are learning from Uganda,” he said.
“I take this opportunity to thank FUFA and UBSA for the job well done.”
“As ABSU, we are very excited to see a club in the world winners cup coming from Uganda, and that is Mutoola BSC and other clubs from the continent. That signals progress of the game in the country. Thank you.”
“We are equally engaging beach soccer world wide to see how we can encourage women participation in Africa, and as I said earlier, a lot of countries will learn from Uganda who have been playing it for quite some good time,” he concluded.
FUFA honorary Exco Member Hamid Juma, who represented President Hon. Moses Hassim Magogo as the chief guest, encouraged UBSA members to keep changing their mindset according to the prevailing states.
“We have a problem in Uganda and it is our mindset. We need to keep changing it and it can be changed professionally. Let us keep changing, let us keep improving ourselves and let us always respect time. It is very important,” he said.
Swalley Kenyi, the FUFA Stakeholders, Innovation and Ideation Officer applauded UBSA for fulfilling its mandatory obligation as is the first FUFA member association to hold it’s AGM this year.
Mr. Swalley also informed UBSA about the new FUFA marketing strategy where FUFA is going to organise the marketing course for the member associations of which each member will be required to send two representatives.
“FUFA wants to empower member associations with marketing skills so that they can generate more money to add onto the budget support FUFA extends to them,” Kenyi said.
