Revival Mission! Can Kabugo committee break the irrational Bika football tournament system?

Buganda minister for Youth, Sports, Leisure and Recreation Owek. Henry Moses Ssekabembe Kiberu announced a nine-member committee led by former KCCA FC chairman Julius Raymond Kabugo to  rejuvenate the lost glory of the Bikka football and netball competitions.

Kabugo will head the nine-member committee that also has Samuel Mpiima, Sulaiman Magala, Sulaiman Ssejjengo, Daniel Katabira, Samuel Mpoza, Nseenene clan head, Hassan Badru Zziwa and Rose Kaala as members.

The committee was announced on Wednesday, 17th February 2021 at Bulange, Mengo.

This committee was formed in time when the competitiveness and popularity of the competitions are taking a nosedive.

The tournament, which is competed for by the Buganda kingdom’s 54 clans, used a nosedive mammoth crowds that filled the stadiums as early as 2pm on different Match-days.

Many fans clad in traditional attires with banners depicting the clan symbols and accompanied by lots of hilarious drumming was a merrymaking atmosphere in the entire competition back in the days.

Back in the days, the national stars from different clans at a point would defy national duties if collided with their respective Bika fixtures to feature in this competition which then was considered to be the most powerful and prestigious football platform in Buganda.

The tournament is a great representation of the Buganda culture. On the opening and closing fixtures, His Majesty the Kabaka graces the event.

On his arrival, spear-wagging men demonstrating their determination to defend the Buganda tradition as they vow in front of the Kabaka are some of the long stored memories in this beautiful tournament.

With the Buganda flag hoisted alongside that of Uganda, the performance of Ekitiibwa kya Buganda [the Buganda anthem] is an emotional moment and at some point, one finds self rolling tears.

But what caused the tourney’s sudden extreme drop?

The tournament’s sudden extreme drop is attributed to a number of factors some of which are of Buganda’s own making.

Thousands of Baganda apologists and well wishers were present on Saturday afternoon of September 12, 1987 when deafening cheers greeted the arrival of then Prince Ronald Muwenda Mutebi at Nakivubo stadium.

The approaches and themes then aimed at uniting the then Ssabataka’s subjects and putting him onto the eyes of many Baganda ahead of his long planned restoration which came in 1993.

However, these approaches and themes need to be redefined to fit into a modern sporting world which is highly commercialized and technologized.

The infightings of the Bataka for ancestral leadership of different clans is a big blow to the tournament whose foundation was initially relied on the mobilization of the clan Bazukulu (grand children) to support teams physically and financially.

The infightings have resulted into disunities hence some clans defy to play in this tournament. This is realized from the previous editions where participating teams fail to exceed 40 out of the 54.

A highly frustrating system at Mengo has completely failed the tournament. Surprisingly Majestic Brand is a huge stumble to the tournament.

Introduced to look for funding and control finanance of the Kingdom, the kingdom’s marketing hand has turned out to be a catalyst for distortion.

It being too bureaucratic and mean to release funds doesn’t favor modern sports management and organization.

It’s way of milking a cow without feeding it is to keep the tournament crippled for more years ahead. This is realized in allocation of the tournament generated money into other business.

And therefore, the tournament problems are not the personalities organizing it, but the system.

However brilliant an individual be without resources, it will remain a myth for this prestigious tournament to regain it’s feet.

Past Bika Tournament winners

• 1950: Mbogo

• 1951: Ngabi Nsamba

• 1952: Mmamba Gabunga

• 1953: Not Held

• 1954: Not Held

• 1955: Kkobe

• 1956: Mmamba Gabunga

• 1957: Nyonyi Nyange

• 1958: Ngeye

• 1959: Mmamba Gabunga

• 1960: Ffumbe

• 1961: Bbalangira and Kkobe

• 1962: Nkima

• 1963: Not Held

• 1964: Mmamba Gabunga

• 1965: Mmamba Gabunga

• 1987: Ngabi Nsamba

• 1988: Lugave

• 1989: Mmamba Gabunga

• 1990: Lugave

• 1991: Ngeye

• 1992: Ngeye

• 1993: Nkima

• 1994: Mmamba Gabunga

• 1995: Lugave

• 1996: Mpindi

• 1997: Nnyonyi

• 1998: Lugave

• 1999: Lugave

• 2000: Mpologoma

• 2001: Ngo

• 2002: Mpologoma

• 2003: Mmamba Gabunga

• 2004:Lugave

• 2005: Ffumbe

• 2006: Mpindi

• 2007: Ngabi Nsamba

• 2008: Kkobe

• 2009: Ffumbe

• 2010: Nte

• 2011: Mmamba Gabunga

• 2012: Ngeye

• 2013: Ngabi Nsamba

• 2014: Mmamba Gabunga

• 2015: Mbogo

• 2016: Nte

• 2017: Nte

• 2018: Nkima

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