Hypocrisy and greed: Dr. Bernard Ogwel, Anek subvert UNF with a planned overthrow of new executive at any cost

Dr. Bernard Ogwel and Suzan Anek

Greed and selfish motives have exposed National Council of Sports (NCS) general secretary Dr. Bernard Ogwel to the dot as unending wrangles in different Uganda sports federations continue to take center stage.

In the recent past, it’s alleged that Ogwel’s hypocrisy, greed and selfish motives have continued to cripple many federations including the Uganda Boxing, Uganda Kickboxing among others using his trickery invisible hand.

The new Uganda Netball Federation (UNF) becomes the most recent victim as internal and external splits cause serious series of scars to the direct actors (plyers, coaches, umpires and administrators) and the sport as a brand as Sarah Babirye Kityo cry out.

According to the new federation president Sarah Babirye Kityo, points her finger onto Dr. Bernard Ogwel as the architect of all antagonism prevailing now.

New elected president Sarah Babirye Kityo

Kityo confidently asserts that Ogwel, Suzan Anek have since connived with Richard Muhumuza the banned Vice president technical, Hamza Katende, Aminah Mande (banned secretary), Yahaya Ssengabi (suspended publicity secretary) and a few others to overthrow her using external funders, the South Africa netball federation president Cecilia Molokwane.

Background.

In only six months after the Uganda Netball Federation (UNF) elective assembly ushered a new executive on a four-year term, there has emerged a bitter split amongst the new leaders.

The wrangles that flared up before a year in office stem from numerous dissents majorly manifesting because of selfishness, scorn and egotism, greed, jealous amongst the executive members, former president Anek and Bernard Ogwel.

For starter, on 5th June 2021, Sarah Babirye Kityo was elected President of the Uganda Netball Federation (UNF).

She beat two other candidates collecting 184 votes, Joselyn Uchanda (41) who was an ally of former president Suzan Anek and Christine Nampijja (5) during an elective general assembly held at the Lugogo Indoor stadium.

In the same assembly, Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) spokesperson Brig. Flavia Byekwaso was ushered in as Vice President, Richard Muhumuza (Vice President- technical), Amina Mande (General Secretary), Harriet Apolot (Assistant General Secretary), Aida Nambusi (Treasurer) and Yahaya Sengabi as the Publicity Secretary.

New executive after elections at Lugogo Indoor Stadium

The regional representatives included; Richard Ojuku, Ronald Mudhasi, Rosette Kaala, Bashir Kwereberera, Kibira Robert and Rosemary Nkiinzi.

Two of the top executive members; Richard Muhumuza (Vice president technical) and Aminah Mande (General Secretary) have since been banned for taking the sport’s matters to courts of law which is contrary to the UNF constitution and the publicity secretary Yahaya Ssengabi suspended for misconduct from the federation management.

What has gone wrong?

Greed for material and financial gains, selfishness which was boldly opposed by the President Sarah Babirye Kityo and her loyalists open the doors of internal split.

As they proposed to first gain control and consolidate themselves in the positions, before everything else, the president and her loyalists insisted on building structures and growing of the brand of the game.

Aminah Mande and Richard Muhumuza

This was not welcomed in the ears of proposers and this led to the dirty scenes exhibited at the Pent Series and Africa Netball championships in the Namibian capital Windhoek last November.

It’s alleged that Cecilia Molokwane, the President South Africa Netball Federation is much aware of Uganda’s consistency and growing threat in terms of performance and talent, and this note, the South Africa netball power houses are looking for all possible ways of antagonizing Uganda’s fast ascent in the ranks.

Cecilia Molokwane, South Africa netball federation president

As it seemed to be a norm for Ugandan officials to decide on the positions of each country by a secret boardroom consent, they found it hard to attract the new president (Sarah Babirye Kityo) into the syndicate.

Cecilia Molokwane quickly gain advantage to drive her agenda using her ally Anek, who capitalized on the then flaring internal split to plan for a quick downfall of the new executive for their return.

She Cranes squad of 2019

National Council of Sports (NCS) General Secretary Dr. Bernard Ogwel’s name is regularly echoed in the fight, being the master planner in fueling the growing internal conflicts in the UNF purposely to cause an interim committee that will take care of the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth games.

NCS general secretary Dr. Bernard Ogwel

According to sources, his yes man Suzan Anek is a favorite candidate to lead the interim.

Anek and NCS are highly remembered for a pigeon hole 2019 2.2 billion Liverpool world Cup accountability.

Former netball federation president Suzan Anek

It’s ascertained Ogwel, former netball federation president Suzan Anek, teamed up with two expelled members, Richard Muhumuza, Amina Mande and suspended Yahaya Ssengabi, few delegates Hamzah Katende and Muwadah only have the 2022 Birmingham Commonwealth benefits in sight.

How it exploded

Early December, a heated exchange broke out on the official Uganda Netball Federation WhatsApp forum when a number of delegates pointed at Muhumuza, Mande and company for acquiring One million (1,000,000) SA Rand to purposely sponsor the downfall of the President and her allies.

On return from Namibia, a whistle blower started the accusations of UGX. 20,000 sent to delegates from the split camp under Mande and Muhumuza via the official delegates’ WhatsApp forum.

The accusations came in after a split which led to the suspension of the Publicity Secretary, Yahaya Ssengabi after a series of intricate scenes with the planning and organizing committee Member; Fred Mutengeesa.

The antagonistic situation between the two brought about a rough exchange which later resulted into suspension of Yahaya Ssengabi and Mutengeesa.

Both Ssengabi and Mutengeesa were presented to the disciplinary committee to settle the dispute before they return to office. However, the split continued even after the disciplinary committee mediation.

What sparked off the scuffle?

On 23rd December 2021, the General Secretary Aminah Mande wrote a letter to all executive committee members and regional representatives calling for a meeting on 7th January 2022.

On the agenda, was a discussion about the booted Vice president technical Richard Muhumuza, mismanagement of the federation activities, and Yahaya Ssengabi’s suspension.

However, one important hidden agenda of the day was a planned overthrow of the sitting President Sarah Babirye Kityo through an Extra General Assembly, using the 1,000,000 South Africa Rand to bribe delegates and cast a vote of no convince against Sarah Babirye Kityo.

This was to be disguised in the jokey questioning of the president about the federation funds being spent on her husband Daniel Ntale’s travels for the Pent Series who is not an executive committee member.

Daniel Ntale

Ntale, whose travel to Namibia was not stomached by some of executive members and to them, spending on him was typical extravagance and corruption. However, Natale sits on the marketing committee of the federation.

Ntale traveled on behalf of the federation as an advance part to Windhoek, Namibia to prepare for a soft landing of the She Cranes contingent ahead of their Pent Series and Africa netball championships.

After the release of the letter calling for an extra general assembly, the president and her loyalists sighted an overlook of the constitution powers by the general secretary Aminah Mande who failed to knowledge the top office for approval as provided in the constitution.

The president immediately convened executive meeting which the three subjects; Muhumuza, Mande and Ssengabi defied to attend.

In their absence, the executive committee resolved to suspend them and sent to the federation’s disciplinary committee which committee they also defied to go to, but instead took legal routes in courts of law through the Kavuma Kabenge and Co. Advocate which is contrary to the federation’s constitution.

As it’s provided in the UNF constitution article 28 clause 3 that “Any member/player/official that refers netball matters to courts of law, shall automatically cease to be a member of UNF”, the two (Muhumuza and Mande) were finally banned.

The ban stumbles the two from participating in any netball activity, representing UNF and acting on its behalf in anyway.

However, the executive also over looked the constitutional powers to replace the banned members without the approval of the General assembly.

Harriet Margret Apolot and Rosette Mutyaba Kaala replaced the banned Aminah Mande and Richard Muhumuza as treasurer and VP Technical respectively.

About Author