Denis Musanje
Owek.Henry Ssekabembe Kiberu has officially handed over office to the new Buganda Kingdom Minister for Youth, Sports and Arts Salongo Robert Sserwanga.
The brief ceremony was held at Buganda Kingdom headquarters in Bulange Mengo on Thursday.
Ssekabembe thanked His Majesty Kabaka Ronald Muwenda Mutebi II for giving him the opportunity to serve for the last ten years.
“Ten years ago I embarked on this task of serving my King as the Minister for Youth, Sports and recreation. It has been a highly an impactful journey, full of great accomplishments. I want to extend my appreciation to his Majesty, Katikkiro, the entire cabinet and all the King’s subjects. We have witnessed ten years of great impact, a shift in paradise and structures. The ministry has grown from zero shillings to multi million shillings. We have seen the development of signature products like the Masaza tournament and Kabaka’s Birthday run. We have seen alot of documents which are instrumental in the development of young people of this country being involved. I want to appeal to all the King’s subjects to emphasize five things which are working together, empowerment, initiative, enterprise and impact humanity.” Said Ssekabembe
Ssekabembe revealed that he found the Ministry generating zero shillings and leaves when it generates over 3.5bn.
“Sports is measured in three areas, product development I think we have done something and when it comes to fan base which is the people, you can see where the Masaza Cup is today and the Kabaka’s Birthday run. It’s not easy to assemble over 100,000 thousand people waiting to be flagged off by his Majesty in different parts of the country and in the diaspora.”
“Sports development, like I said, I found this ministry not generating a single shilling, I have emphasized it’s further beyond 3.5billion shillings income generation to the Kingdom. That’s not the end, it’s a journey that is going to continue, it’s a rally where my colleague is going to start from and run faster then will be in position to handle over to somebody in sometime to come.”
His final remarks,
“I appreciate all the Federations in this country and the media that have teamed with me so that we make sure we better sports.”
“It is time to board off the train that I boarded ten years ago and it’s my time to get off the hand and give it to somebody else.”
“Ladies and gentlemen I am waiting for another train which will take me to another destination, right now I beg to leave and long live his Majesty the Kabaka of Buganda.” Said the former Minister.
Ssekabembe was appointed Minister for Youth, Sports and Recreation in Buganda Kingdom cabinet in 2013. His successor Sserwanga promised to carry on from where Ssekabembe has left the Ministry.
