Team Uganda buoyant as EAC games kick-off in Arusha

Posted on: 
07 Dec 2021

The East African Community Inter-Parliamentary Games have commenced in Arusha, Tanzania, with the Ugandan team led by Chairperson Parliamentary Sports Committee MP Asuman Basalirwa (Jeema, Bugiri Municipality) confident of victory.

Basalirwa said Uganda is confident about emerging overall winner in the tournament but added that the games are primarily intentioned to build and deepen East African Community ethos.

“Sports is the only universal, uniting language; when it comes to the East African Community games, these go beyond just competition. We are building synergies, contributing ideas on how to strengthen the East African Community,” he said.

The Prime Minister of the United Republic of Tanzania, Hon Kassim Majaliwa Majaliwa, graced the official opening ceremony.

MP Sarah Opendi (IND, Tororo), who attended the event as Speaker Jacob Oulanyah’s representative, said the region should prioritise sports as a way out of rising cases of non-communicable diseases in the East African Community.

“We need to engage in sports not just for competition but also to keep us healthy. Sports is critical in keeping non-communicable diseases at bay,” she said.

Opendi was happy with the extent to which integration protocols have been implemented, asking citizens in member countries to start identifying as East Africans in readiness for political integration, which is the ultimate objective of the Community.

Prime Minister Majaliwa welcomed participating countries, noting that Tanzania will continue her steadfastness in fast tracking East African Community affairs.

Uganda will be playing Kenya in football on Wednesday, with the volleyball team debuting Tuesday against Burundi.

After the official opening ceremony, participants marched to the Sheikh Amri Abeid Stadium in Arusha for a curtain raising football match.

The games run until December 17, 2021.

With Uganda, Burundi, Kenya, Tanzania and Zanzibar participating, the games are the first to be held following the dawn of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Some of the Ugandan players in a jubilant mood during the opening ceremony of the EAC games.