Article by NDAMAGYE ISAAC
As Uganda gears up for the State of Ugandan Sport National Symposium, Pastor Martin Ssempa has issued a passionate call to unlock the country’s untapped sports potential. Speaking ahead of the two-day event, he stressed that while Uganda is bursting with natural talent, many promising athletes continue to struggle in silence due to limited support and inadequate investment.
“We have the potential, but we are not living it,” Ssempa remarked. “With better funding and deliberate talent development, many of our youth could rise to national and international levels and make Uganda proud.”
He pointed to refugee communities as one of the overlooked sources of sporting excellence—citing South Sudanese youth with basketball prowess and Eritreans, as well as individuals from Uganda’s mountainous regions, who are naturally gifted in long-distance running.
“Uganda is a goldmine of sports talent. It’s time we harness our diversity and invest in structured development programs,” he said.
Ssempa also applauded NBS Sport—Uganda’s 24/7 sports channel, championing Ugandan sport—for organizing the State of Ugandan Sport National Symposium, set for June 17th and 18th, 2025, at Next Media Park. Themed “Bridging the Gap,” the symposium aims to shift the conversation around Ugandan sport from online complaints to practical, long-term solutions.
“We owe it to our young people and the future of Ugandan sport,” Pastor Ssempa concluded.