Hon. Mubarak Munyagwa has stirred up a vital conversation about the state of Ugandan sport, using the story of Denis Omedi—a gifted player only recently discovered after nearly three decades—to expose deep flaws in the country’s scouting system.
Speaking on the sidelines of the State of Ugandan Sport National Symposium, Munyagwa didn’t mince words.
“Denis Omedi is not an isolated case,” he said. “There are many more like him—players with incredible skill who are slipping through the cracks simply because we don’t have a working grassroots scouting system.”
His comments come as the country’s top sports minds gather at Next Media Park to figure out how to “bridge the gap” in Ugandan athletics.
The two-day symposium, which runs through June 18 and is organized by NBS Sport, aims to move beyond online complaints and into real action—tackling long-standing problems like talent identification, funding, and infrastructure.
Munyagwa’s solution? Put the power of scouting into the hands of those already on the ground: journalists.
“We need eyes on the ground, and who better than journalists—people who attend the games, know the communities, and can tell these stories?” he said.
The idea builds on the Ministry of Sports’ school tournament programs, but Munyagwa wants to go even further.
He envisions a system where independent journalists can flag rising stars from school pitches, dusty village grounds, and regional league games.
