The 17th Edition of interforce games start with shooting range

By Emmanuel Sekago

The interforce games of the 17th edition is being hosted by Uganda Police force (UPF)  at Kabalye Police training school in Masindi under the theme  “Fostering wellness and interagency cooperation through sports for a safer and secure Uganda”.

Participants in different sports activities are drawn from Uganda Peoples’ Defence Forces (UPDF), Uganda Prisons Services (UPS), Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) and hosts Uganda Police Force (UPF).
The various games to be played include hand ball, soccer, darts, taekwondo, netball, Shooting, Athletics and volleyball.

The competition that  started  today at Kigo range grounds with  the discipline of Shooting Range,  the opening ceremony was officially graced by Director of Counter Terrorism  Frank Mwesigwa who thanked the participants for maintaining  discipline during the games but encouraged them to be physical and effective during shooting range.

The UPDF team has started on good note having had a one week residential training at Kasenyi training school the team wants to prove they are strong  at the shooting range competitions this time.

The activity is being  conducted at  Uganda prisons service shooting range ground in Kigo where all representatives of the sister forces UPDF,UPF, UPS and UWA are facing off.

Looking at what is on ground  UPDF officers and men this time might dethrone Uganda police to win  the overall in range competitions. According to organisers the final aggregate score will be announced on Friday, December 1st 2023 at the closing ceremony in Masindi.

The commander in charge of the shooting range Lt Col Moses Opel talking to wallnetnews, explained the various shooting ranges as: Match one – a 300m long-range, Match two – the longest range also known as ‘kijana’ it is predominantly for young men and women,  and finally Match three – a range which soldiers normally shoot from either 75m seating position, or 50m kneeling position, or even 25m standing position.

“Shooting exercise is conducted between the Interforces because it’s the main objective of collaboration. He however pointed out that the activity is at the pedestal of promoting security personnel,” he added.

Uganda peoples defence force (UPDF) this time has the biggest number registered with 85, Uganda prisons service (UPS) with 65, Uganda police force (UPF) with only 60 and Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) with 55, totaling to 265 participants in shooting range competition alone.

The shooting range competition that started today at Kigo range grounds will end on Thursday, November 23rd in the afternoon, then all participants will proceed to Masindi at Police training school -Kabalye for other sporting disciplines.

According to the program and fixtures seen by wallnetnews, On, Saturday  November 25th, will be Athletics the whole day at Masindi Booma grounds and teams will compete in various races like; 10,000m, Shot-Put, Long Jump, Javelin, 400m, 5,000m, Discuss, 200m, Triple Jump, 1500m, 800m, 100m, 100mx4 relays, and 4x400m  relays all both men and women.

Then on Sunday, November 26th 2023, will have disciplines like Netball at Parade ground with Police up against UWA and UPDF battling it out with Uganda Prisons, also will be seeing teams battling in the discipline of Handball men category in Morning with UPDF taking on UWA, hile Police take on Uganda Prisons, then in afternoon in same discipline but women category, Uganda Prisons will open up with UPDF while Police up against UWA.

According to the organising committee of the 17th edition, the really opening ceremony will be on Monday, November 27th 2023, at Parade grounds at Police training school -Kabalye and will be graced by   General Kahinda Otafire the minister of Internal affairs and the closing ceremony will be on December, 1st 2023 and will be graced by Hon Vincent Ssempijja the Minister of  Defence and Veterans Affairs.

Meanwhile, what you need to know before the opening ceremony, in the morning between 7am to 9am  athletes will be battling it out in Min marathon both men and women and the football match between UPDF up against host Uganda Police force will be the only fixture at the opening ceremony and the match will be at 3rd brigade PTS -Kabalye ground at 16;00hours.