Uganda Lawn Tennis Association (ULTA) has expressed their unhappiness over a private firm taking over management of the Lugogo Tennis Club.
CANN Concepts, a private firm took over management of the biggest tennis Club in Uganda on July 23. Stephen Musisi, the ULTA General Secretary, told URN that they are against a private investor taking over running the facility because it could affect tennis as a sport.
Musisi reasoned that the tennis association should have been given first option to run the tennis club instead of CANN Concepts.
Musisi explained that they held two consultative meetings with NCS and the new tenant with a view to signing a tripartite agreement after which the facility would be handed over, but that did not happen and instead NCS handed over the club.
Musisi says that the association was surprised to receive a letter from NCS on July 20th informing them that a new tenant would take over on July 23. Yet the association had been occupying the facilities for two years. Musisi contends that three days’ notice to handover is totally unacceptable.
The facility that has over five tennis courts and a running bar and restaurant has however had several management issues in the past with Umeme switching off the power and water being put off for un-paid bills.
Musisi said they are unable to cooperate with the tenant as requested until certain issues have been addressed to their satisfaction.
But when contacted NCS General Secretary Jasper Aligawesa said ULTA are simply not serious because if they were interested they would have applied to run the facility and they did not. Aligawesa says that NCS found it imperative to have the club run by a private firm and the process was done in line with PPDA procedure till the best bidder was found.
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