Kasanje Town Council youth converged for a vibrant Youth Sports Gala and Free Medical Camp aimed at uniting youth through sports, promoting healthy living and addressing unemployment and health challenges in the area.
The event, organised by the Kasanje Town Council Youth Council, attracted football and netball teams from across the town council’s parishes and featured free medical services including counselling, health screening and scanning.
Football: Bulumbu FC Edge Sokolo FC
In football, Bulumbu FC emerged champions after a 1-0 victory over Sokolo FC in the final, with the lone goal scored by Alex Lukungu.
Other football teams that participated included Kasanje FC, Ssazi FC, Jjungo FC, Makko FC and Zziba FC.
The champions, Bulumbu FC, received a trophy, a bull, gold medals and a ball. Runners-up Sokolo FC went away with a goat, silver medals and a ball. All other participating teams were recognised with a ball each.
Netball: Ssazi Youth On Top
In netball, Ssazi Youth Netball Team took first place, followed by John Paul Secondary School netball team. Other teams included Bulumbu Girls, Kasanje High and Chris High netball teams.
The winners, Ssazi Youth, received a goat, gold medals and a ball, while second-placed John Paul S.S. received an envelope, silver medals, a ball and a trophy. Each participating team also received a ball.
The sports gala was coupled with a free medical camp facilitated by Action for Healthy Youth Plus in partnership with health professionals from Kasanje Health Centre III, offering health education, counselling and medical screening.
Youth Chairperson Calls For Skilling Hub
Annet Namugonda, the Kasanje Town Council Youth Chairperson and event organiser, said the gala was held under the theme, “Uniting all youth in Kasanje through sports and healthy living” as part of Youth Day celebrations.
“We are placing great importance on celebrating our Youth Day. We have been able to interact with different people to make this come true,” Namugonda noted.
She said since her election, she has focused on four pillars – health, unity, education and skilling.
“HIV and other diseases are alarming within Kasanje Town Council. On health, I have cooperated with different programmes to bring medical facilitation, counselling and screening. On unity, I have called all parishes to engage in this sports gala. On education, as a professional teacher with a master’s in Educational Planning and Management, I am engaging stakeholders for bursaries. On skilling, we have alarming unemployment and poverty,” she said.
Namugonda appealed to government, leaders and stakeholders to bring government projects closer to Kasanje, particularly a skilling hub.
“We have a lot of land around Kasanje which can benefit the youth. We are yearning for a skilling hub in Kasanje so that these people can get income for their day-to-day life. I call upon leaders at constituency, district and ministerial levels to support us,” she added.
MP Opio Pledges Support For Skilling Hub and Bridge Project
Guest of honour, Hon Kenan Opio, Member of Parliament for Busiro South Constituency, emphasised education, ICT and science as priorities for community transformation.
“For us to transform our communities and compete with the rest of the world, education has to be a priority; ICT and science have to be a priority. For young people who have not been able to go to university, it is not the end. There are continuing opportunities,” Opio said.
He pledged to work with local government to ensure a skilling hub is established in Kasanje, targeting youth and women to fight household poverty.
“Every leader who thinks to be successful must deal with poverty in our homes. That should be the priority,” he said.
On health, he noted challenges of medicine stock-outs at health centres and called for better public service delivery and political supervision.
The MP also highlighted the strategic infrastructure plan for Kasanje, including a proposed bridge linking Buwaya to Nakiwogo, which will connect Entebbe to Masaka and Mbarara cities and ease airport access by avoiding Kampala traffic.
“Kasanje is going to be a place where everybody would wish to stay in the few years to come. NRM is at work, and we are going to transform our areas,” Opio said.
Youth Decry Unemployment and Lack of Facilities
Doreen Nabazanye, a youth from Kasanje, decried high unemployment driven by school dropouts and lack of jobs even for graduates.
“The main problem in Kasanje is unemployment caused by school dropouts and even those who extended to higher education but still lack jobs,” she said.
She called for support in sports talent development, increased allocation under the Parish Development Model (PDM), bursaries and scholastic materials.
“We still lack medical facilities. We request Hon Kenan Opio and the government to bring more medical facilities so that youth can have a healthy life. Many youth are not educated not because they don’t want to, but because they lack school fees and support,” Nabazanye said.
The event was graced by Wakiso District Speaker Ibrahim Kazibwe, the area chairperson John Kaggwa Ssemugoma, who is also Director of John Paul Secondary School, town council councillors and other local leaders.
Organisers said the annual gala will continue to serve as a platform to unite youth, identify talent and link young people to health and economic opportunities.
