Netball Uganda Faces Eligibility Concerns as Candidates Fail to Meet Executive Requirements

By Emmanuel Sekago

During the Extra-Ordinary Assembly on Saturday, September 21, 2024, at Lugogo MTN Arena, key figures such as William Bwambale, Richard Muhumuza, and Alice Alwenyi were part of the provisional members who participated in endorsing the new Netball Uganda constitution.

However, they are now under scrutiny due to their lack of eligibility to contest for top executive positions within the organization.

According to the Netball Normalization Committee’s roadmap, candidate nominations for the new executive took place from October 1-2, 2024, followed by a vetting process from October 3-5, 2024.

However, in alignment with Section 6 (K) and Article 14.2 of the new Netball Uganda guidelines, individuals holding executive positions in other national sports associations or federations are ineligible to serve on the Netball Uganda Executive.

This restriction applies specifically to those concurrently involved in the governance of other national sports associations, though it does not apply to membership or governance roles in affiliate bodies.

Sources at Wallnet News confirmed that William Bwambale, who is running for the position of 1st Vice President Administration, does not meet these criteria.

On March 21, 2024, Bwambale was elected President of the Uganda Primary Schools Sports Association (UPSSA) at an elective assembly held at Front Page Hotel, Namasuba. Richard Muhumuza, aiming for the 2nd Vice President – Technical role, also fails to meet eligibility requirements, as he currently serves as the Treasurer for the Uganda Boxing Federation (UBF), which has similar restrictions against holding multiple executive roles.

Additionally, Muhumuza holds a position on the Uganda Secondary Schools Sports Association (USSSA) Executive Committee.
Alice Alwenyi, vying for the role of Regional Representative – Eastern, faces similar issues. Alwenyi is also a member of the USSSA Executive Committee, further disqualifying her from a top executive role within Netball Uganda under Article 14.2.

Despite the concerns raised, none of the three candidates—Bwambale, Muhumuza, and Alwenyi—have submitted resignation letters from their current executive positions in other associations.

As a result, stakeholders have questioned the Netball Normalization Committee’s credibility, especially if the Committee decides to allow these candidates to contest despite the clear constitutional restrictions.

Unnamed stakeholders voiced their concerns to Wallnet News, emphasizing that failure to enforce these eligibility requirements may undermine the integrity of the election process. With the vetting process concluded on October 5, 2024, the public awaits the final decision from the Normalization Committee, which will ultimately determine the course of the upcoming Netball Uganda elections.