By Innocent Ndawula

UCA Development Committee
Mohammed Vaheed – Chairman
Davis Karashani – Vice Chairman
Emmanuel Gonahasa – Member
Habib Mugalula – Member
Rita Tinka – Female Member

The new chairman of the Uganda Cricket Association (UCA) Development Committee Mr Mohamed Nazurudheen Vaheed has unveiled plans to make cricket further entrenched in Uganda’s sporting culture. 

Vaheed’s ambition is to introduce the game to more people, providing opportunities for every boy or girl who wants to take up the sport.
To do this, the focus for his five-man committee will be on increasing access channels, introducing a uniform curriculum, having more coaches and putting in place better controls and monitoring mechanisms.

For mini cricket, Vaheed said the plan is to increase coverage of the program, improve the facilities and ensure there is good equipment in all covered schools. He also wants to have a curriculum implemented for all schools so that kids can all learn the same basics regardless of physical location. 

The new UCA Development Committee will be looking to catch them young, get them to love the game and learn the basics quickly.

“I embrace this role,” Vaheed, who has been in Uganda for the last 18 years and given back to several sporting disciplines in a philanthropic way, told Cricket Uganda.

“I have done some good things for sport and I will focused on doing even more. I have good backing from Indian investors because I also do some work for the Indian Community in Uganda. I am confident of getting sponsors to run this programme successfully because investors have faith in me. And then maybe we will achieve the dream of World Cup presentation at the Under 19 level again.”

Standard curriculum
The Secondary Schools Programme is looking at introducing a standard curriculum as well. In addition to increasing coverage of the program and improving facilities there is increased focus on having schools play more cricket beyond the annual Schools Cricket Week.

“Playing more cricket is expected to improve students cricketing abilities. And our committee plan is for two years (2019-21). But I know we will be given more time because we intend to do well,” said Vaheed, also the owner of Challengers Cricket Club and Strikers.

And with former Cricket Cranes captain Davis Karashani, U-19 player Emmanuel Gonahasa, Lady Cricket Cranes assistant coach Habib Mugalula and proprietor Pioneer Ladies CC Rita Tinka completing the Development Committee, the team is a good mixture of big brains and hard workers.

Rita Tinka (R), the Pioneer Ladies Cricket Club boss, is part of the new committee that is harbouring 'possible' dreams of ensuring Uganda returns to the ICC U-19 World Cup.

They will also be expected to look at defining a clear pathway for players to the national team (Cricket Cranes) fold and put in place a database for teams which can be used to manage players by offering them necessary support.

In a nutshell, Vaheed is optimistic having these priorities will make Uganda a goldmine for cricket talent and believes the gentleman’s game will soon become one of the most dominant sports in Uganda.