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Magogo has continuously maintained that the bill which was finally signed into law by the President of Uganda, Yoweri Kaguta Museveni on Monday serves national interest and not personal ambition.
Budiope East Member of Parliament and the President of FUFA, Moses Magogo has for a while persistently dismissed personal ambitions related to the 2023 National Sports Law.
He has continuously maintained that the bill which was finally signed into law by the President of Uganda, Yoweri Kaguta Museveni on Monday serves national interest and not personal ambition.
Magogo’s detractors even coined the phrase ‘Magogo’s bill’ which they argued serves as a plot for legitimacy for him and the Football federation which he heads.
Which obviously has been met by ridicule from his camp, while Magogo has taken on warring individuals on several WhatsApp forums.
However, Magogo appears to have come full circle, embracing the undeniable connection between the landmark legislation and his pivotal role in its enactment.
“For me, I wouldn’t mind calling it the Magogo bill,” he said while addressing media from FUFA House in Mengo on Tuesday.
“My dream was that the sports sector in this country is governed by a law, because this law relates us to several stakeholders.”
The legislator further expounded on the bill's significance; “We can draw our internal regulations as federations, but we deal with sponsors, the public, and government, and in that process, we definitely need a law to guide us.”
“We need this law to guide our operations, and a law that protects us from excessively using our products to injure the public in any way.”
“Considering the entire journey as it was, we lost tempers in a number of meetings and places. But one thing you cannot take away is I had passion for it,” he added.
Magogo’s National Sports Bill 2021, and the Physical Activity and Sports Bill 2022 which was tabled by the Ministry of Education and Sports were married for Parliament to pass the Sports bill initially.
First tabled on November 10, 2022, and passed by Parliament on March 2, 2023, the Bill was returned by the President with key amendments suggested in May, before it was returned to the head of state in June.
“The ministry also had great contributions from the bill that was tabled from the ministry, and I also had very many contributions from a private member, and it was a joint effort,” he said.
“For me at the end of the day, I am happy that we have that is addressing certain specific challenges to make sure that those involved in sport in the country are really protected.”
The law not only aims to transition Ugandan sport from an amateur to a professional setting but also promises to uphold international standards.
It seeks to adopt the World Anti-Doping Code, empowering authorities to investigate doping-related concerns rigorously.
Furthermore, the Bill guarantees the preservation of public sports infrastructure by vesting their rights in the National Council of Sports, ensuring they aren't sold or mortgaged without the Minister's consent.
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