21 October 2026

Busitema University Vice Chancellor, Prof. Paul Waako, has officially flagged off the University's corporate sports team for the Uganda National Corporates Tournament (UNCT) Western Edition in Kabale, challenging the players to pursue victory as the institution seeks to strengthen its presence in national corporate sports competitions.

The ceremony, held on Wednesday, 21 October 2026, at the Vice Chancellor's Boardroom, Busitema Campus, marked another milestone for a team whose participation in corporate tournaments has steadily increased. Kabale will be its fourth outing this year, following earlier competitions in Pallisa, Kitgum and Mbale.

The tournament is scheduled for 24–25 October 2026 at Kigezi Primary School Lower Playgrounds in Kabale Municipality. It will be hosted by Rugarama Hospital Corporate Club under the theme Score to Restore.

Speaking to the team,

His challenge came barely a month after Busitema University's men's chess team secured a bronze medal in the Blitz competition at the 12th All-Africa University Games in Cairo, Egypt. Prof. Waako congratulated the medal winners and urged the corporate team to draw inspiration from that achievement as they pursued further sporting success.

Prof. Waako also called for greater efforts to encourage regular physical exercise among University staff and students. He referred to a government directive requiring public institutions to introduce weekly physical exercise sessions for employees to promote good health. Acknowledging that Busitema University had not yet made significant progress in implementing the initiative, Prof. Waako asked the sports team to take a leading role in organising regular physical activities for the University community.

The government directive, issued in March 2024, calls for public institutions to set aside two hours each week for staff exercise as part of measures to address lifestyle-related health conditions.

Prof. Waako explained that increasing participation in sporting activities was already among the objectives outlined in the University's Strategic Plan. He also raised the possibility of considering staff participation in physical activities during performance appraisals as a way of encouraging employees to take their health and fitness more seriously.

He observed that sports contribute to physical well-being, resilience and discipline, qualities he considered important in improving employee productivity.

The emphasis on staff participation comes at a time when Busitema's corporate sports programme is attracting growing interest from employees across different campuses and departments.

Team Captain Dr. Edwin Kamalha said the competitions had created opportunities for academic, administrative and support staff to interact outside their usual working environments, strengthening relationships among colleagues who might otherwise have limited contact.

"On the sports field, our job titles and offices matter less than our shared commitment, discipline, cooperation and determination to succeed," he said.

According to Dr. Kamalha, the University's participation in Pallisa, Kitgum and Mbale has helped build enthusiasm among staff, with another competition planned for Kampala in December to conclude the year's sporting calendar.

The growing programme has also attracted the attention of University Management, which recognises the opportunities corporate competitions provide to promote Busitema's visibility and establish relationships with other institutions.

Deputy Vice Chancellor for Finance and Administration, Assoc. Prof. Pakoyo Fadhiru Kamba, congratulated the team for taking the University's name to different parts of the country. He observed that participation in such competitions was generating publicity for Busitema without requiring the University to invest separately in promotional activities.

Assoc. Prof. Kamba expressed confidence in the team's prospects in Kabale and encouraged continued engagement between the sports department and University leadership on ways to expand participation in future tournaments.

Prof. Waako similarly urged the players to use the competition to establish contacts with professionals from other organisations, noting that such relationships could support the University's work through future institutional partnerships.

The University's ambitions in corporate sports are now beginning to extend from participating in tournaments to potentially hosting one.

Deputy Chief Sports Officer, Dr. Agnes Baluka Masajja, revealed that Busitema hopes to host a future regional edition of the Uganda National Corporates Tournament, an opportunity that would bring corporate teams from across the country to compete in an area served by the University.

The tournament operates through six regional editions covering Western, Eastern, Northern, Central, Elgon and Bukedi. Dr. Baluka explained that Busitema's multicampus structure could provide an advantage in hosting, given the University's presence in the Eastern, Elgon and Bukedi regions.

Having participated in the Northern and Eastern editions earlier this year, the University is seeking to maintain its involvement in the competition as it works towards its hosting ambition.

Dr. Baluka linked that ambition to the University's Games and Sports Policy and Strategic Plan, which recognise the contribution of sporting activities to staff wellness, teamwork and the development of regional and national partnerships.

She also highlighted the opportunities corporate tournaments provide for interaction with business leaders, policymakers and professionals from various sectors, whose networks could open avenues for institutional collaboration.

The competitions carry a community engagement component alongside the sporting activities. The Western Edition focuses on environmental conservation and sustainable tourism, with reforestation, waste management and the protection of natural tourism resources among its areas of emphasis.

Other regional editions address community concerns such as maternal health, sanitation, youth education, food security and workplace wellness. The approach connects corporate sporting activities with community development initiatives in the regions hosting the competitions.

As the team prepared for the journey to Kabale, Dr. Kamalha thanked University Management for its continued support, including the logistical arrangements that have enabled players to participate while balancing their professional responsibilities.

He expressed hope that sustained institutional support would encourage wider staff involvement and improve the team's competitiveness in subsequent tournaments.

Prof. Waako, meanwhile, reminded the players that representing the University comes with a responsibility to maintain discipline and protect its reputation, regardless of the competition's outcome.

That responsibility was echoed by the Team Captain, who assured Management that the contingent would remain united and committed to representing Busitema University with dignity.

"Whether we win or lose, we carry the name and reputation of our University," Dr. Kamalha said.

The team now heads into the Kabale competition seeking to build on its experience from previous tournaments, with the prospect of hosting a regional edition adding to Busitema University's ambitions in corporate sports.