By Juma Ali
The eighth edition of the UMEA Secondary Schools Solidarity games, officially kicked off Friday 7 April 2023 at Kawanda ss, the host school.
Over 100 teams from 40 schools participate in different sports disciplines which including; Football (boys and games), Handball (boys and girls), Badminton(Boys, Girls), Table Tennis(Boys, Girls), Volleyball(Boys, Girls),Basketball(Boys, Girls) and Netball (Girls).
The Kibuli Muslim sect Supreme mufti, Sheikh Galabuzi and ministry of Education and Sports official Haji Ismail Mulindwa, were the chief guests, flanked by Uganda Netball Federation president Hon. Babirye Kityo, Kawanda ss director, Haji Muhammad Maseruka and UMEA officials led by their chairperson Haji Twahil Kiteezala, Haji Hussein Lwembaawo Lwanyaga of Amity ss, Suleiman Mugabi Ssembakire of Nkoba Islamic ss Tuula among other dignitaries to officiate the opening ceremony of this year’s edition held at kawanda ss main playground starting at exactly 2pm.
Supreme Muft, Sheikh Galabuzi has emphasised students to exhibit maximum discipline during the four days tournament so as they get to learn something which can promote their talents and education at large.
“Dear students, please promote discipline while your here such that your can add something positive in your life through this event especially in talent development and promotion as well as academic excellence.”Sheikh Galabuzi told students
“We expect a good tournament, everything is fine here as we have spent four years waiting for this to happen,” Haji Muhammad Maseruka, Kawanda ss director, stated.
Muhamad Maseruka, went on to say that as kawanda ss team, we are well prepared and we hope to win trophies in different sports disciplines.
The Uganda Netball Federation president, Hon. Babirye Kityo Sarah has commended UMEA for this tournament and urged other religions in the country to copy from Islamic Faith when it comes to sports development in the country.
Babirye who was one of the guests at the opening ceremony of the 8th edition of UMEA Solidarity Games taking place at Kawanda SS, applauded Islamic Faith based schools for the great idea of organizing a such magnitude tournament that expose and identify talents who become stars at different national teams in the country.
“I am proud of the UMEA Solidarity Games organizers and I am proud of the Netball players from the Islamic Faith and I think this a great opportunity that you given us to source out the best players and we are proud of it.” Says Babirye.
“It’s very important to think about girl and boy child, I thank them for this annual arrangement. I also ask other faith to have such tournaments in a way of grooming more talents.
When you look at She Cranes, we have over four Muslims and they are performing better, you can’t say it comes automatic because we don’t go to mosques and ask them for players, we only find them at their clubs and the clubs get them from such tournaments, so I urge them to keep this up.”
“I would like to see Born-Agains, Catholics, Protestors, Adventists and others because at the end of the day, when uganda wins, they say it’s for Uganda not Islam or other faith. This year we are hosting Africa Netball Championship, you don’t know the happiness Ugandans can get when we win it, we shall not say that it’s Moslems or Adventist won it, it will be for the whole country. And we always applaud those who help us to identify talents.” She added.
Meanwhile, Kakungulu memorial, starts well with a win in handball against host kawanda ss, as Masaka ss defeated kakungulu high 2-0, Nkoba Islamic ss 2-1 Namasumbi ss and kawanda ss beat mbogo mixed 5-0 in boys football respectively.
The tournament is set to run for four days as the closing ceremony is expected to be held at Kabaka Kyabaggu stadium Wakiso on easter monday.
Netball results of the game played on Friday:
NGANDO SS 36-21 GOMBE SS
KIBULI SS 35-10 MBOGO MIXED
MADINA ISLAMIC 36-6 NAMASUMBI SS
KAWANDA SS ‘B’ 31-7 AMITY SS
KAWEMPE MUSLIM SS 20-25 GREEN LIGHT HIGH
BULO PARENTS 20-10 KASAWO SS
BUSIIKA MUSLIM SS 19-18 MANDELA HIGH
KABIMBIRI SS 18-20 MASAKA SS
KAKANGULU HIGH 25-20 KAKUNGULU MUSLIM
NAMAGABI SS 19-22 KADUGALA SS
MARIAM HIGH 6-46 KAWANDA SS
HAMDAN SS 34-13 KINAAWA HIGH
WAMATOVU SS 6-63 NGANDO SS
GOMBE SS 19-32 KAWEMPE MUSLIM SS
MBOGO MIXED 9-32 BULO PARENTS
NAMASUMBI SS 18-20 BUSIIKA MUSLIM
AMITY SS 19-18 KABIMBIRI
GREEN LIGHT HIGH 35-15 KAKUNGULU HIGH
KASAWO SS 17-21 NAMAGABI SS
MANDELA HIGH 34-8 MARIAM HIGH
MASAKA SS 22-33 HAMDAN SS
KAKUNGULU 20-6 WAMATOVU SS
