Let us pay more focus to netball -MP Sarah Opendi urges parliament

The debate about the Uganda Cranes being the most funded national team is not about to come to an end.

As the Cranes look to win against Niger and qualify for the Africa Cup of Nations, sections of Ugandans feel like investment in the team has not been reflected when it comes to results and performance.

And if the cries of different federation presidents have not been enough noise, the debate has now reached the chambers of parliament.

Member of Parliament, Tororo District, Sarah Opendi, rose on the floor of parliament to echo the views of most Ugandans, asking for more funding to be directed to the national netball team, She Cranes.

This came after the legislator congratulated the people of South Sudan, whose team played at the ongoing FIBA Basketball World Cup and qualified for the Olympics.

"I congratulate the people of South Sudan and their basketball team," Opendi revealed during Tuesday's plenary session.

"Right Honourable Speaker, it is important for every nation to focus on a particular sport it should be known for," she added.

"Our netballers have been doing well. How I wish as a country we can focus on them such they too can find their way to the world championships and hopefully even win," Opendi submitted.

The She Cranes have gone to the last three Netball World Cups and finished fifth at the recently concluded showpiece in Cape Town, South Africa.

The team is Number One in Africa and one of the best-performing national teams.

In the 2023/2024 financial year budget, the sports subsector's funding saw an increase to UGX. 48.9b but, it is the Federation of Uganda's Football Associations (FUFA) that took the lion's share of around UGX. 17B, while netball received a paltry UGX. 300m.