The new Minister of State for Sports, Honorable Denis Hamison Obua was on Friday 17th January 2020 handed over the Ministry office and on his second day in office, the Minister has started his official duties with a visit to National Council of Sports where he has met members of staff, Top Management, the Council (Board) and also took an inspection tour of the NCS Lugogo Complex. Also in attendance were officials of the Ministry of Education and Sports and media.

Happy New Year from National Council of Sports (NCS).

CRICKET
Uganda currently tops the table standings at the ICC Cricket World Cup Challenge League B happening in Muscat, Oman after securing 3 straight wins against Jersey, Kenya and Bermuda. Uganda will now set out for a fourth win against Italy on Monday 09th December 2019 and the last match shall be against Hong Kong on Wednesday 11th December 2019.

The National Cricket Men's Team, the Cricket Cranes have embarked on a qualification campaign to the 2023 International Cricket World Cup to be hosted in India.

Today, the National Council of Sports Assistant General Secretary, Mr. David Katende flagged off a 23 delegation to Muscat Oman for the ICC Men’s World Cup challenge League B slated from the 30th November to 13th December 2019 with the goal of emerging at the top after a three series legs in order to progress to the next qualification round. Uganda is pooled in Group B with Kenya, Jersey, Bermuda, Italy, and Hong Kong.

Uganda’s athletes dominated the 2019 MTN Kampala Marathon and won in all categories at the Kololo Airstrip. The 2019 edition registered the biggest entry compared to the previous years, and proceeds will go towards improvement of maternal health.
Winners are as below:

Winners Men – 42.2km
1. Phillip Kiplimo 02:13:56
2.Fres Musobo 02:15:23
3.Anthony Ayeko 02:15:23
4.Soyekwo Kibet 02:16:17
5.Francis Musani 02:18:03

MTN KAMPALA MARATHON
The biggest social sports event in Uganda, the MTN Kampala Marathon is happening this Sunday, 24th November 2019 at Kololo Airstrip. This year’s edition has registered the biggest entry compared to the previous years, according to the MTN CEO and the proceeds from this year’s edition will go towards improvement of maternal health. The biggest local and international athletes have registered to compete in the 5km, 10km, 21km and 42km and wheelchair categories.

FOOTBALL
KCCA FC and Proline FC are Uganda’s representatives at the CAF Confederations Cup and in the play off round, first round, KCCA FC drew 0-0 against Algeria’s Paradouc AC and equally Proline also drew 2-2 against Libya’s Al-Nasr in Alexandra, Egypt. In the return leg, KCCA FC is set to face off with Paradou AC on Sunday, 03th November 2019 in Algeria while Proline FC will host Al-Nasr at the Startimes Stadium, Lugogo on Sunday, 03rd November 2019.

FOOTBALL
Uganda secured its 5th consecutive qualification to the Africa Cup of Nations and joins 15 other countries including Burkina Faso, Cameron, Congo, DR Congo, Guinea, Mali, Morocco, Namibia, Niger, Rwanda, Tanzania, Togo, Tunisia, Zambia and Zimbabwe for the 2020 Africa Cup of Nations Tournament to be hosted in Cameroon. The Uganda Cranes beat Burundi’s Swallows 3-0 to qualify on 6-0 aggregate points.

The World Athletics Awards 2019 are set for Saturday 23rd November 2019 in Monaco and Joshua Cheptegei is among the 11 athletes that have been nominated for the IAAF Male Athlete of the year 2019.
The 23 year old IAAF World Champion has had a successful season and boosts of an extra ordinary profile as below:

Joshua Cheptegei (UGA)
- won world cross-country title in Aarhus, 2019
- won world 10,000m title in a world-leading 26:48.36, 2019
- won Diamond League 500m title, 2019