Uganda: Parliament Amends National Sports Bill, Introduces Archery, Kicks Out Kickboxing
Parliament has amended the National Sports Bill weeks after it was returned by President Museveni for reconsideration.
The Sports Bill, initially was passed in March. However, Museveni refused to assent the bill into law and referred it to the Committee on Education and Sports for improvement.
After making several reviews, the Committee on Education and Sports, on Tuesday, presented the report containing recommendations as proposed by President Museveni.
Consequently, Parliament unanimously adopted the committee report approving the amendments that included incorporation of several amendments.
Among the amendments is the adoption of Museveni’s proposal to add archery among the recognised sport disciplines.
Registered with National Council of Sports, under its body, Uganda Archery Federation (UAF), Archery is the practice or skill of using a bow to shoot arrows. The sport involves the use of a stringed bow to propel arrows towards a target.
In his letter, Museveni had proposed that archery, which is an olympic sport, be added since it is recognised by the National Council of Sports.
On the other side, the House adopted Museveni’s proposal to remove kickboxing from the list of recognised sport disciplines.
In his proposal, Museveni had said that kickboxing provided for under the schedule is no longer a recognised sport by the council, be deleted.
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Simultaneously, the House adopted that kickboxing be removed from the list of recognised sports and archery be added.
NCS board representation amended
Meanwhile, the House also adopted the proposal by the President to amend section 32 (2) for members of the board of the National Council of Sports.
On Tuesday, the House adopted the committee’s recommendation that the council have a board of seven members which shall be the governing board of the council consisting of a chairperson and six members.
According to the amendments, the members will include; a representative from the ministry responsible for sports, two representatives from any two traditional regions of Uganda, a representative of the National Sports Association, a representative of the athletes, a representative of the private sector and a person with experience in sports administration.
House declines to delete clause on sporting land and facilities
Meanwhile, the House declined to delete Clause 75 as recommended by the committee which provides that the land on which the public sports facilities are established shall vest in the Council.
The committee had cited that the sports facilities are already taken over by the National Council of Sports and that it would bring about numerous court battles, and thus, recommended that the clause be deleted.
However, following guidance from Speaker Anita Among and Attorney General, Kiryowa Kiwanuka, the House resolved to leave the clause in a bid to protect the land and property of the sports facilities.
