Retired Supreme Court judgeGeorge Kanyeihamba has said he will continue to handle the Uganda Olympic Committee (UOC) Tribunal despite last week’s suspension of the president, Roger Hans Ddungu.
Kanyeihamba said that in his powers as President of UOC, Ddungu was in order to put in place a Tribunal and that is why it has to continue with its work. The retired Justice said he has looked at the UOC constitution and the Olympic Charter and thinks the Tribunal in place is within the law.
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He said the suspension does not affect their status because Ddungu set up the Tribunal within his mandate as provided for in the UOC constitution. Kanyeihamba notes that the UOC executive have illegally taken over the UOC offices, adding that he hopes they will hear from the International Olympic Committee and leave the office immediately.
The suspended UOC President forcefully put in place the Tribunal two weeks ago despite resistance from seven of his executive committee members. The other members of the tribunal are Peruth Nshemereirwe and Col. Stephen Kwiringira.
But the National Council of Sports (NCS) Secretary General, Jasper Aligawesa last week also said it was not wise for the well respected judge like Kanyeihamba to get involved in the UOC when there are unresolved internal issues within its leadership. He insists Kanyeihamba should have consulted with other stakeholders such as NCS and Ministry of Education and Sports before accepting to step in.
Meanwhile, the Executive Committee of UOC led by Vice Presidents William Blick for Administration and Denis Galabuzi for Technical affairs, meet this afternoon to set a date for the Extraordinary General Assembly. The International Olympic Committee has advised UOC to to hold the Assembly before May 23. Last week, federations/associations that make up UOC also requested for the Assembly so that all matters affecting the body can be addressed at that forum.
Sources within UOC indicate that Ddungu had again acted fast and told IOC that the Secretary General, Penninah Kabenge, had been suspended and that is why he cannot sit in an Executive meeting where she is present.
UOC was early this morning sending minutes to prove that Kabenge has never been suspended.
