Africa-Press – Uganda. The Uganda Volleyball Federation (UVF) will next week have a new executive committee.
The last three elections in 2008, 2012 and 2016 have not left all involved stakeholders satisfied in terms of integrity and credibility. All sorts of accusations have sprung up with one particular constant – ineligible voters. UVF president Hadijja Namanda is up against her predecessor Sadik Nasiwu, while Eddie Okila, a familiar face in the last two polls, tries his luck for the third time against two “elephants.”
The morning of January 31 will see 15 candidates head to Lugogo for victory but on six of them will leave as victors. President, vice president, second vice president, general secretary, assistant general secretary and treasurer are the six positions up for grabs in what is expected to be a new look executive committee but who votes?Constructional dilemma
UVF is composed of the founding premier clubs, district associations and schools and institutions and all others affiliated to it thereafter according to Article 2.2.1 of the federation’s constitution.
However, being part of the federation does not guarantee voting right. The members should financially be in good books with the federation by subscribing to all required subscriptions.
Despite the law being clear, past elections have been marred by incidents where non-paid-up members voted, a situation Okila blames for his failures in the past two elections.
“All that happens is unpaid schools being smuggled in to vote which has been the case since Aisu Omongole’s time in 2008,” he told this paper last week.
The constitution also says that a school will only be in position to vote if the district it hails from is not registered under the federation. Apart from members fulfilling their annual payments, they should have competed in a UVF competition in the past two years as Article 2.3.1.6 stipulates.
“Failure by members to participate in at least one of the competitions organised by UVF during a two-year period, without any valid reasons, will result in them automatically losing their voting rights during the next congress,” the laws of the association says.
Term limits
There is no deliberate term limits although members unofficially arrived at a precedent that one can serve a maximum of two four-year terms before returning. Nasiwu, who served two terms before handing over to Namanda, is a perfect example. He took a term window but returns to the ballot paper next week.
The stage is set for a new leadership to be ushered in come January 31 but will the process carry some credibility this time round? For a sport still feeding on crumbs like many others, a free and fair election can be the beginning of a new era that promises bigger returns .
Who qualifies for Executive Committee?
For one to vie for executive committee office, they should actively been involved in the game as a player, coach, referee or team administrator. Candidates are also nominated by at least two delegates from UVF members or affiliates.
