By Marvin Twiinawe
Uganda Christian University (UCU) is set to resume its highly anticipated inter-faculty football tournament in 2023 after a two-year hiatus due to the outbreak of COVID-19. The tournament, last played in 2019, will feature participation from multiple faculties across the university, including men’s football, women’s netball, and both men’s and women’s basketball.
UCU’s inter-faculty tournament has a long-standing tradition of promoting healthy competition, team spirit, and physical fitness among students. The resumption of the tournament is highly anticipated by both the university community and fans of the various teams.
This year’s tournament is organised under the theme “constructing unity from our diversity,” according to Timothy Ddumba, the guild president.
“UCU has so many different faculties, and these faculties have different ways of living… but what’s more important is that we are one as the UCU family, so that’s what the tournament is going to be about,” said Ddumba.
In a bid to get money that will be deposited in the students’ guild fund to support students with tuition challenges, there will be fan t-shirts that will be based on faculty colors during the tournament, according to Ddumba.
He also added that when we unite, then we can be able to take on the challenges that affect us as a community, such as tuition.
The tournament will consist of eight faculties drawn into two groups, A and B. Group A will consist of Engineering, Theology, Agriculture Sciences, and Business, while Group B will have Journalism, Social Science, Law, Health, and Education.
All of the representatives from the various faculties are confident that their teams will be favorites in the four-week competition.
“We are ready; we are excited from the engineering faculty; we can’t wait to take on these games,” said Magdalene Atugabire, a representative from the engineering faculty.
“The draws are fair, and for the training we’ve done, we’re eligible to participate in this tournament, and I believe we, as defending champions, can defend the tournament back to the school of business,” said Tondinywe Brian, a representative from the school of business who is currently the tournament’s defending champion.
Ssonko Alpha,a representative from the agricultural sciences made a very rare revelation about how their faculty is prepared to deal with the school of business since they were drawn in the same group.
“We have not had a chance to play with business but this time round they will understand why a hen drinks water but doesn’t urinate so we are very happy and excited about these upcoming games”.said Ssonko.
Overall, the resumption of the inter-faculty football tournament is a welcome development for the UCU community, and all eyes will be on the participating teams as they battle it out for the coveted championship titles in their respective categories.