Kenya, Uganda, S. Sudan sparkle at Inter-Parliamentary Games

Kenya, Uganda, S. Sudan sparkle at Inter-Parliamentary Games
Ugandan lawmakers took on the Tanzanian basketball team yesterday at Nimra Talata Stadium in Juba. [Photo: Courtesy]

The East Africa Community (EAC) inter-parliamentary games hit the fourth day, with lawmakers from across the region showcasing their talents and enjoying the cheers from their passive colleagues.

Kenya benefited by earning three free points and two goals in football after it turned out that a match pitting Kenya and EALA legislators at Buluk Playground failed to materialise due to a limited number of players EALA had.

Uganda thrashed Burundi 4-1, with Muhammad Nsereko bagging two assists and scoring a goal for the Ugandan side. His colleague Bwiire Sanon scored twice to make the score 4-1.

In volleyball, South Sudan defeated Rwanda by a score of three to one, while Kenya also defeated Tanzania by a score of three to one, albeit by narrow margins. Uganda also prevailed against EALA.

Uganda whipped Tanzania 45–30 in a crucial basketball match at Juba Basketball Court.

It was Uganda’s second-largest victory, following their victory over Kenya on Sunday.

In a statement to the media after their 4-1 win over Burundi, Peter Ogwang, the Ugandan minister of education and sports, thanked the officials for conducting the games fairly.

“I would like to commend the officials in particular for officiating the professional games. I have never seen such officiating in inter-parliamentary games before. The officiating this year is different from previous years,” Ogwang said.

He added that “in Tanzania last year, there were issues with the officiating; but, this year, starting with South Sudan, the host nation, it was wonderful, and even a mistake is an error, so no one should be upset.”

He said that South Sudan is peaceful, and the situation had allayed his fears, especially about security.

“The most important thing was that before I came here, I was afraid of what was in South Sudan.” “Specifically in Juba in terms of security, but today I will be leaving South Sudan as an ambassador to say that the country is peaceful and full of loving people,” he said.

South is hosting the inter-parliamentary games after missing out on the hosting rights in 2018, two years after she joined the East African Community.

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