Uganda: Government (Gov’t), Magogo agree to harmonize Sports Bills

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The government and Budiope East Member of Parliament, Hon. Moses Magogo have agreed to harmonise and come up with a comprehensive and holistic Sports Bill.

While meeting the Committee on Education and Sports on Tuesday, 13 December 2022, the two parties were given up to 20 December 2022 to furnish the committee with a harmonised Sports Bill.

On 01 December 2021, Magogo was granted leave of the House to introduce a Private Member's Bill entitled, ‘the National Sports Bill, 2021’.

Subsequently, the bill was tabled for the First Reading on 10 November 2022.

Barely a month later, the Minister of State for Sports, had Hon. Peter Ogwang also tabled the government bill entitled, ‘the Physical Activity and Sports Bill, 2022’?

The Deputy Speaker, Thomas Tayebwa directed that both bills are harmonized and scrutinised by the Committee on Education and Sports.

During today’s meeting, both the minister and Magogo submitted two separate bills, which prompted MPs’ moderation calling for harmony.
“My proposal is that we allow Hon. Magogo together with government to sit and harmonise. If that is not done, then the committee can sit and harmonise. But I would propose that government supports the private member’s bill,” Hon. Jonathan Ebwalu (Soroti City West) said.

Representative of Older Persons, Hon. Joram Tibasiimwa said that the private member’s bill is very practical and rich in content and therefore, should be harmonised with the government bill.

Minister Ogwang said there was an attempt at a retreat held in May 2022 to harmonise the two draft bills.

However, Magogo denied that there was any harmonisation process.

However, he said he was open to harmonisation processes for as long as it is intended to bring a good bill which seeks to address challenges in the sports sector.
“My motivation to bring a private member’s bill is not a contestation of ideas, but to have a law which serves this country better,” he said.

The object of that Bill is to regulate the operation and administration of national sports associations, federations and community sports clubs.

Magogo told Parliament at the time that the Bill proposed the creation of a Sports Fund to provide sustainable means of supporting sports in Uganda.

It also sought to repeal the 1964 National Council of Sports Act, and enable Uganda to harness available opportunities in local and international sports.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Parliament of the Republic of Uganda.