She Cranes withdraw from African Netball Championship 2023

Kampala, Uganda | THE BLACK EXAMINER | The She Cranes, Uganda’s national netball team, will be absent from the upcoming 2023 African Nations Championship, set to take place on November 26, 2023, in Botswana. Moses Mwase, the Chairperson of the newly established ad-hoc Normalization Committee for Netball, informed URN that the team faces challenges in mobilizing on short notice amid recent management turmoil, making it impossible for them to participate.

This decision is linked to a crisis that unfolded when the National Council of Sports withdrew recognition from the Uganda Netball Federation (UNF), responsible for overseeing the national netball team. The conflict arose between UNF President Sarah Babirye Kityo and National Council of Sports General Secretary Patrick Ogwel, with accusations ranging from fund mismanagement to the mishandling of government funds.

Despite the She Cranes’ notable achievements on the global stage, including a fifth-place finish in the recent Netball World Cup, internal disputes have disrupted their participation in the African Nations Championship. Minister of Education and Sports Janet Museveni had initially called for Kityo’s resignation to investigate allegations of player mistreatment, harassment, and financial irregularities.

As Kityo failed to comply with directives, the National Council of Sports revoked the Certificate of Recognition from the Uganda Netball Federation, preventing them from organizing national representations in international competitions. An ad-hoc normalization committee was then appointed to oversee daily operations until new elections could be held.

While plans for netball elections are in progress, Mwase emphasized that careful groundwork is necessary, and elections will be conducted in due time. Despite the challenges, the normalization committee is actively working to ensure the She Cranes’ participation in the Vitality Netball Nations Cup 2024, scheduled for January 2024, where Uganda will compete against England, Australia, and New Zealand.