A section of Parliamentary football team

RUKIGA- It was pomp and glamour at Kamwezi playground in Kamwezi sub County Rukiga District on Friday May 17th 2024, as hundreds of thousands gathered to welcome and interact with the 11th Parliament legislators who had paid a visit to the area on Dr. Sylvia Arinaitwe’s invitation in partnership with the Rukiga District Sports Association.

The Parliamentarians physically interacted with the Rukiga community and engaged in a number of sporting activities ranging from netball to football, treating the spectators to spectacular and endless eye soothing event.

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The event was graced by the State Minister of Defence in charge of Veteran affairs, who is also the Kisoro District Woman Member of Parliament Hon Sarah Nyirabashitsi Mateke, who was the day’s chief guest.

Minister Mateke in her remarks hailed the National Water and Sewerage Corporation Deputy Managing Director Charge of Finance and Corporate Strategy, Dr Sylvia Arinaitwe for being envisioned in preaching HE President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni’s gospel of wealth creation not only in Rukiga District, but Kigezi region and the entire country at large.

Minister Sarah Mateke stressed that sports is a unifier and best for team and capacity building of the leaders and the community as a whole pointing out that Parliamentarians accepting to visit Rukiga on Dr. Sylvia Arinaitwe’s invitation is a big milestone that the community should not take for granted.

“Sport is a unifier. It helps in building team work and capacity as well as giving confidence to tackle a number of issues, both personal and community. I thus encourage you that whenever a chance arises, participate fully” Minister Mateke remarked.

She used the same event to rally women to respect their husbands, stressing that this will reduce cases of domestic violence and charged men to shun away from alcoholism since it’s the leading cause of family breakdowns.

PLU’s Nshangabashaija, Dr Sylvia Arinaitwe & Minister Mateke Sarah

Dr Sylvia Arinaitwe was appreciative to the almighty for making this happen and hailed the 11th Parliamentary Speaker, Rt. Hon Anita Annet Among Magogo for allowing the Members of Parliament and staff to come to Rukiga to honour this function.

Dr. Arinaitwe pointed out that there are talents being unearthed in Rukiga District since the Parliamentary team that has a record in East Africa can held to a draw by Rukiga’s Nyakagabagaba Football team.

The Hostess, Dr Sylvia Arinaitwe emphasized the importance of sports in health, income, education pointing out that it makes one healthier, others are reaping big from their sports talents as many other Ugandans especially in Schools have obtained bursaries to study to the last notch.

Flanked by the Patriotic League of Uganda, Kigezi and Ankole Chapters, Dr Sylvia Arinaitwe pledged to keep unlocking Rukiga’s potentials to the world adding that a number of opportunities are still coming, rallying the community to get ready to embrace them.

Minister Mateke, Dr Sylvia Arinaitwe, Nshangabashaija posing for a photo with Parliamentary team

The Rukiga County Member of Parliament, Hon. Ndyomugyenyi Roland Bish, the host Member of Parliament, rallied people to engage in government programs Emyooga, Parish Development Model- PDM all that were initiated to alleviate Ugandan households from poverty.

Hon. Ndyomugyenyi appreciated the Kamwezi Sub County Community for the support they rendered to him in the 2021 General elections, stressing that he has in his capacity worked on a number of developmental project adding that more are still on the way for the good of Rukiga constituents.

The legislator hailed Dr. Sylvia Arinaitwe for she has always supported a number of development programs in the district remarking that it’s a blessing having a person in her than those sabotaging the any development of their home areas.

Parliamentary Netball team

A number of legislators including Hon. Ssentayi Muhammad Bukoto West, Hon. Dr. Kagabo Twaha of Bukoto East, Hon. Nebanda Florence of Butalejja District, Hon. Gyavira Ssemwanga representing Buyamba County, Hon. Herbert Edmund Aliko of Soroti East County, Hon. Kharim Masaba representing Industrial City Division, Mbale, Hon. Asuman Basalirwa of Bugiri Municipality among others flanked by the Parliamentary staff graced the function.

Mr. Robert Kakwerere, the Rukiga District boss hailed Dr. Sylvia Arinaitwe for unearthing the talent in Rukiga and promised to work on modifying the Kamwezi playground to facility regular training and development of the talents in the area.

The Kabale District boss who is also the Kigezi Region PLU coordinator Nelson Nshangabasheija aka Baba Baba rallied the Rukiga district Community to empower Dr Sylvia to greater heights so that she can even lobby more than they see today.

Nshangabashaija also rallied Rukiga to welcome and support all the initiative engineered by the PLU under the leadership of the first son and Commander of the Uganda People’s Defence Forces Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba for he is the future of Uganda.

The Kamwezi Sub County boss commended Dr Sylvia for the organization stressing that it’s a milestone in the development of the area.

A section of spectators at Kamwezi Playground

In curtain raiser games, Rukiga religious leaders defeated political leaders by a goal to nil Kamwezi United defeated Kamwezi legends by 5 goals to four on penalty shootouts after a one all draw in the normal time of the game.

In the day’s thriller games, Rukiga Select defeated Parliamentary netball team by 13 goals to 12 as the Parliamentary football team was held to a one all draw by Rukiga’s Nyakagabagaba Football club.