President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has stressed the importance of discipline for athletes aspiring to achieve greatness in their sports careers.
Addressing a luncheon in honor of athletes who have represented Uganda at various international events, President Museveni emphasized that discipline is paramount for success in sports.
“Alcohol, prostitution, fighting, and all that don’t go well with sports, and they can ruin your life. Sports must go with discipline and the fear of the Lord; then your future will be bright,” President Museveni advised.
The President commended the athletes’ recent achievements, including their performance at the World Athletics Championships in Budapest, Hungary, and the participation of national school teams in the Federation of East Africa Secondary Schools Sports Association (FEASSSA) competitions.
President Museveni acknowledged the value of sports, highlighting its role in promoting fitness, character building, teamwork, and entertainment. He also recognized sports as a source of livelihood for many athletes.
To further support athletes, President Museveni reiterated his commitment to providing stipends to gold, silver, and bronze medalists. He also pledged to allocate a bus to each sports zone in the country.
First Lady Janet Museveni joined the President in praising the athletes’ contributions to Uganda’s national pride. She encouraged them to continue striving for excellence, aiming to become the best in Africa and the world.
Maama Janet also called for increased funding for sports development, particularly for talent identification and athlete training. She urged the government to allocate more resources to the Uganda Athletics Federation and provide stipends to athletes who win medals at international competitions.
The First Lady emphasized the importance of promoting school sports, noting the success of FEASSSA teams in international competitions. She commended the Ministry of Education and Sports and the National Council of Sports for their dedication to sports development.
Maama Janet expressed satisfaction with the progress of the Mandela Stadium refurbishment project, emphasizing the importance of modern sports infrastructure.
Mr. Justus Mugisha, the president of Uganda Secondary Schools Sports Association, expressed gratitude to President Museveni and Maama Janet for their unwavering support of sports in the country.
The luncheon also recognized the top five secondary schools in sports, including St. Mary’s Kitende, Kibuli S.S, St. Noah Girls Secondary School, Kawempe Muslim S.S., and Budo S.S.
In attendance at the luncheon were the Minister of State for Sports, Hon. Peter Ogwang, Members of Parliament, officials from the Ministry of Education and Sports, and the Uganda Secondary Schools Sports Association, among others.