Netball Normalization Committee to hand over office to new Executive

By Emmanuel Sekago

The Netball Normalisation Committee is set to officially hand over office to the newly elected Netball Uganda executive on Friday, December 27th, 2024, according to sources that confirmed the change to Wallnetnews.

Initially, the handover was scheduled for Tuesday, December 31st, 2024. However, Wallnetnews sources  revealed that the committee opted for an earlier date. The exact venue for the event remains undisclosed.

The Normalisation Committee was established in November 2023 at the request of the National Council of Sports (NCS) and appointed by World Netball.

It’s formation followed the revocation of the Uganda Netball Federation’s (UNF) Certificate of Recognition by the NCS on October 25th, 2023.

The certificate revocation stemmed from several governance and operational challenges, including Leadership and governance conflicts within the UNF, Non-compliance with Ugandan laws and the UNF’s own statutes plus Prolonged disputes between the NCS and the UNF.

While the committee’s mandate was to streamline governance issues and restore order, its tenure has faced criticism for failing to organize netball activities such as the National Netball League.

One of the committee’s key tasks was drafting a new constitution for Netball Uganda. However, the process was marred by controversy. Reports indicated that district delegates and media were excluded from the deliberations.

Elections for the new executive were held on October 26th, 2024, using provisional delegates. Many prospective candidates for various executive positions were reportedly locked out of the process, raising transparency concerns.

Consequently, the new executive was declared unopposed amid allegations of exclusion and lack of fairness.

With the handover set for December 27th, 2024, netball stakeholders are looking to the new executive to revitalize the sport.

Expectations include reviving the National Netball League, Developing and approving the 2025 activity calendar and financial year budget and Establishing clear structures for governance and operations.

Stakeholders are optimistic that the new executive will address these pressing issues and restore confidence in the administration of netball in Uganda.

In related news, Wallnetnews can confirm that allowances for the Uganda She Cranes players who participated in the 2024 Africa Netball Cup in Swakopmund, Namibia, have finally been cleared.

This comes after financial controversies marred their participation, despite the team securing a silver medal in the tournament.

As the Netball Uganda executive takes over, the focus now shifts to ensuring accountability, transparency, and the advancement of netball in Uganda.