The best sportsmen and women from the ninth edition of the Uganda inter-forces Games and Championships held in 2011 will have a unique opportunity to tour the Murchison Falls National Park from 3rd-5th January 2013.
This follows an offer from the Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) Management at the end of the tournament last year. The beneficiaries are from the participating forces namely Uganda Peoples Defense Forces (UPDF), Uganda Police Force (UPF), Uganda Prisons Service (UPS) and the Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA).
The inter-forces Games and Championships is an annual event in which the participating organizations compete in Range fire shooting, Darts, athletics and ball games. The hosting of these games is rotational. According to Mr. Samuel Amanya, the UWA sports officer, the field trip was field trip was announced by the current Director of Tourism and Business Services ,Mr. Raymond Engena Raymond while he was the Chief Guest representing the Executive Director UWA, at the opening ceremony of Range Competitions at Kigo Prisons on 18th November 2011.
The same offer was re-affirmed by the UWA Executive Director (ED) Dr. Andrew Ggunga Seguya at the official closing ceremony at Namboole on 25th November 2011. The post review meeting of the Inter-Forces Sports Working Group came up with the names of best sports men and women in Shooting/Range, Football, Netball, Handball, Darts, Volleyball and Athletics. Uganda Police Force the host of the last 9th Edition communicated to UWA forwarding the names of beneficiaries.
Mr. Amanya said UWA and released the funds for the trip which will cover the meals and accommodation at local rates. The field tour is important because it will strengthen our good image amongst the forces, says Mr. Amanya.
The offer will also go a long way to promote the desired support from sister forces which is needed to develop the sports culture at UWA. UWA’s offer (filed tour) is on record in the history of Inter-Forces Games since no force or any other body had ever rewarded best performing sportsmen, at least by December 2011. The action will generally motivate sportsmen and women to work hard. Prizes in sports are critical for sports development.
While in Murchison Falls, the largest conservation Area in Uganda, the sportsmen and the officers will go for game drives, launch drive to the bottom of the Falls and also visit the Top of the Falls to witness the world’s most powerful waterfalls. All sports officers from forces are expected to travel along with their selected sports men and women. That is a culture in celebrating sports achievements with managers and coaches. Besides, traveling with sports officers from different forces will be considered as a retreat to discuss the issues related to the preparations of 2013 games.