Category: Daily Monitor

Swimmer Tyrah Dorothy Muganzi is battle hardened. The 14 year old attacks every butterfly race like her life depends on it.

Physically, on the blocks, she barely instills fear. She is usually the most diminutive of all competitors.

When she dives in, she floats through like a butterfly would do in air – producing performances that sting her opponents.

At the Africa Aquatics Zone III Swimming Championships in Nairobi, Kenya, Muganzi was named second best swimmer in the 13-14 years girls’ age group with 19 medal points.

That was after bagging gold in the 50m (30.21), 100m (1:10.58), and 200m (2:43.31) butterfly events. She also had bronze in the 800m freestyle (11:03.62) showing how much time she is putting into becoming a versatile swimmer.

The Gliders Swim Club swimmer missed the podium but scored points in the 100m back (1:14.99), 200m IM (2:45.55), and 200m free (2:29.41). She also got team gold in the mixed 14 and Under 4x50m medley relay – swimming alongside Torpedoes’ Jonathan Kaweesa, Jaguar’s Zara Mbanga, and Manuel Ssemanda, plus silver in the girls’ 4x50m free relay with Zara Mbanga, Crystal Ssemanda, and Mackayla Ssali. Muganzi also worked with the latter two and Ozpreys’ Gabriella Opolot for silver in the girls’ 4x50m medley relay.

“The performance and results feel good because I have been training so much for about two years,” Muganzi said.

“Coach Dennis (Otim at Gliders) has made it easier. Training is really good and it has helped me improve quite a lot over the last few years.

“I loved the competition because I also had some medals and close performances in other strokes. I know I have to push even more now that I am going to the 15-16 age group which is even more competitive,” Muganzi said.

The 13-14 age group has the aforementioned names giving Muganzi unenviable competition at home.

Then at zonal level, she has to deal with Tanzanians like Crissa Dillip – who won 11 gold medals in the competition, Nicolene Viljoen- arguably the most improved swimmer over the past one year, Zainab Moosajee, and Heydleen Magashi among others, then Kenyans like Aariana Barchha and Alma Ngaruiya.

“These girls have been a good push for me. We are always in the same age groups, same heats, and our times are so close. We end up getting the best out of each other,” Muganzi said.

Muganzi, a student at Aga Khan School, is a bearer of big dreams. She wants to “compete at those big international events.”

“I know we are many and will have to qualify to earn a place but I want to push and make it to the 2032 Olympics in Brisbane (Australia). I also want to go to various World Championships,” Muganzi added.

AT A GLANCE

Name: Tyrah Dorothy Muganzi

Age: 14

School: Aga Khan

Class: Year 9 /S.2

Club: Gliders

Best strokes: Butterfly

On Friday and Saturday morning, sections of the roads in downtown Kampala got flooded following heavy rains that were experienced earlier that those morning. Besides causing damage to cars, the water found its way into buildings, destroying merchandise whose value is yet to be quantified.

The floods once again raised questions about the competencies of those charged with planning on behalf of the citizenry. The floods happen every time the skies open. The problem is that we seem to be incapable of doing something about them.

We behave like a medical doctor who will diagnose a problem, but choose not only not to treat, but also create conditions for the underlying problem to be exacerbated. Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) has, for quite a while now, been informing all and sundry that poor-quality soils are one of the factors fuelling the flooding.

They say the soil cannot absorb the rainwater. The solution, they said, would be the construction of secondary drainage to ease pressure on primary drainage channels like the Nakivubo Channel and upgrade the existing drainage system. Before KCCA could undertake a drainage master plan for Kampala, it emerged that President Museveni had written to Prime Minister Robinah Nabbanja, directing her to help businessman Hamis Kiggundu execute ‘an imaginative’ plan to build over the Nakivubo channel.

The businessman embarked on his project even though KCC’s Directorate of Physical Planning, which is responsible for planning, designing and managing physical infrastructure in the City, has never approved the plan.

Similarly, the National Environment Management Authority (Nema), which should have carried out an environmental impact assessment for the project, had not issued a word, even when it was always clear that such a project would have a significant impact on the environment.

There were repeated warnings that building over the Nakivubo channel would interfere with rainwater’s natural path. The Friday morning rains and the resultant floods have proved right those who had warned of that eventuality.

In other societies, the government would have by now come out to own up and not only concede that the decision to endorse Mr Kiggundu’s project was a fatal error in judgment. It would, in the same breath, have moved to compensate all the business people whose merchandise was lost.

All that will possibly not happen, but it is not yet too late to stop the project and move to restore the channel to allow water to return to its natural path. We still have an opportunity to do the right thing.

Uganda Christian University (UCU) has taken a significant step towards addressing the growing problem of food waste in urban areas by establishing a food waste upcycling plant under Bionovedosa Solutions Ltd.

The plant, which serves as a demonstration site, converts food waste into usable cricket feed, offering a sustainable solution to the waste management crisis in Kampala and Wakiso district.

According to Geoffrey Ssepuya, a lecturer at UCU and principal investigator, about 75 per cent of household waste in urban areas is food waste, and most of it ends up rotting in landfills or drainage channels.

“Kampala alone produces around 7,770 metric tons of food waste daily, with households contributing up to 680 tons of that waste,” Ssepuya said.

The project aims to transform waste management, promote sanitation, and create employment opportunities in communities.

“The project will create employment, especially decent employment for people who are involved in the waste value chain because it encourages the collection of waste and proper utilization,” Ssepuya explained. “It increases the levels of hygiene in the community, and there are so many other fringe benefits.”

The plant will consume at least one tonne of food waste per week, producing about 300 kilograms of high-quality cricket feed.

Ssepuya noted that the process begins at the community level, where households are encouraged to sort waste at home using designated bins to separate food waste from plastics and other materials.

The project has already started in areas like Kasangati, Kira, and Gayaza, with plans to expand to other districts across the country.

Josephine Nantumbe, the LC II councilor in Busukuma, Wakiso district, welcomed the initiative, saying it will help reduce the waste burden and create jobs for youth involved in collection and processing.

Robert Kayizi, a cricket farmer from Wakiso district, said the new cricket feed will make cricket farming more affordable and profitable.

“We have not been having specifically formulated cricket feed, and we’ve been using poultry feeds which are expensive and not designed for crickets,” Kayizi said. “This new feed from food waste will lower our production costs and help us sell crickets at fair prices and make profits.”

UCU Vice Chancellor Prof. Aaron Mushengyezi lauded the project as a strong example of university research solving real community challenges.

“This project shows how research can lead to innovation, innovation to products, and products to industrialization,” Mushengyezi said. “If scaled up, such projects can greatly reduce waste, improve sanitation, and create new industries that will benefit the country’s economy.”

Free-to-air television stations have been off air for close to a month now amid an acute shortage of funds at the national broadcaster, the Uganda Broadcasting Corporation (UBC), and its affiliate, Signet Uganda.

Signet was born in the months leading up to the June 2015 deadline that was set by the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) for African countries to migrate from analogue to digital.

UBC was then split into two-one for content generation, which retained the name UBC, and Signet, which was tasked with the distribution of free-to-air signals. Under the arrangement, all televisions that broadcast and allow the viewing public to watch their content free of charge simply send their signal to Signet, which multiplexes it with other signals and distributes them across the country such that anyone with a television set can access television services.

The system has, however, broken down, leaving many viewers, who cannot afford to pay for pay televisions, in a blackout. It is not clear when exactly the free-to-air channels went off, but UBC has so far sent out two communications, attributing the blackout to ‘technical problems.’ ‘This is to inform the general public that we are experiencing a technical problem, which has affected broadcasting channels on the Free-to-Air platform. Our technical team is working tirelessly to restore services as soon as possible,’ read the first communication sent out on October 17.

The second communication was sent out on October 28. This particular statement alluded to the possibility that the corporation had underestimated the extent of the problem. ‘Our engineering and technical teams have been working diligently to resolve the issue and restore normal transmission. While substantial progress has been made, the process has taken longer than initially anticipated due to the complexity of the fault,’ the statement reads in part.

Cash squeeze

SSources at UBC have since revealed that the national broadcaster’s efforts to restore service are being hampered by a cash squeeze, which has seen it fail to pay taxes for more than four transmitters and other spare parts. Mr Winston Agaba, the Managing Director of UBC, confirmed that the equipment is lying in Entebbe over unpaid taxes. It is unclear why URA, a government department, would not arrive at some kind of arrangement with another government arm in order to have the spares released as UBC scrounges around for money. Mr Agaba told Sunday Monitor that he had not bothered because the taxman has on several occasions tried to close UBC over taxes.

‘There was a time when URA came with seals, saying: ‘UBC, we are going to close you.’ I raised arguments about this being a government institution, but was told that they had targets and were starting with us who were soft targets,’ Mr Agaba said. Other sources revealed that whereas previously no government department would have attached the accounts of another government department, URA has on several occasions attached UBC’s bank accounts in order to recover tax arrears. Mr Robert Kalumba, the public and corporate affairs manager at URA, could not be reached for a comment by press time.

However, Dr Chris Baryomunsi, the Minister for Information and Communication Technology (ICT), told this newspaper that he had not known that vital spares were lying in Entebbe over unpaid taxes. ‘It had not been brought to my attention, but let me find out. This is government-to-government. Why would they not allow it to clear the items and then they can pay later?’ he wondered.

Long running issues

Sunday Monitor understands that UBC, which also runs 11 radio stations across the country, has been experiencing financial difficulties for quite a long period of time. The troubles seem to be pegged to the failure to implement aspects of the UBC Act of 2005. The Act had provided for a TV tax, on which the Corporation was partly expected to survive, but it never became operational, leaving the national broadcaster in a financial mire. Our sources revealed that matters have not been helped by the fact that government funding has been quite difficult to get, leaving UBC with hardly any money to procure and maintain equipment and also pay off its debts.

‘How did we get the spares that are lying in Entebbe? Government gave some money, but what Parliament appropriated is not what the Ministry of Finance released to us,’ Mr Agaba said. The situation, according to sources, has left the organisation with quite a number of big debts, estimated to be within the region of Shs30 billion. Some of those debts are said to date back to 2016. Our sources indicated that the corporation owes URA within the region of Shs7 billion in unremitted taxes. It also owes the National Social Security Fund (NSSF) Shs15 billion in unremitted workers contributions and owes the Uganda Electricity Distribution Company (UEDCL) Shs3 billion.

Some of that was carried over from what it used to owe the UEDCL’s predecessor, Umeme, in unpaid electricity bills. Others are National Water and Sewerage Corporation (NWSC), which it owes Shs600 million in unpaid water bills; dfcu Bank, which it owes Shs1.2 billion acquired as a loan guarantee in the purchase of modern studio; and Stanbic Bank, which it owes Shs500 million obtained as a loan for the purchase of transmitters.

Past intervention

In October 2016, President Museveni directed the Ministry of Finance to give UBC a bailout to assist it pay off its debts. ‘The Minister of Finance, Planning and Economic Development should study the indebtedness of UBC and advise which debts, especially those with government institutions, can be written off. The Minister of Finance should also plan to capitalise UBC with a one-off fund to enable it to take off,’ Mr Museveni wrote. In the same letter to then ICT and National Guidance minister, Mr Frank Tumwebaze, Mr Museveni also directed all government agencies to give more business to UBC.

‘To further give UBC a financial base, all government accounting officers should give priority to UBC and its sister companies while placing adverts in electronic media. The head of the Public Service and Secretary to Cabinet should give a circular to all accounting officers of government departments and agencies to effect this,’ he further wrote. Our sources, however, revealed that the said bailout was never given, which compelled Mr Museveni to issue more instructions. ‘The President advised that interest on what we owe be waived so that we pay only the principal sums,’ Mr Agaba said.

Defaulters

Sunday Monitor has also established that some members of the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB), who have been affected by the ongoing blackout, are guilty of failure to pay UBC and Signet for sending out their signals to different parts of the country. ‘The guys we have been carrying on the free-to-air channels are in arrears of Shs6 billion, but they are saying ‘we want the service, but we cannot pay.’ They were meant to pay a minimum cost every month, but they do not pay,’ Mr Agaba said.

Mr Joseph Beyanga, who speaks for NAB, acknowledged that some of their members are in arrears. ‘Most of those debts date back to the Covid-19 pandemic lockdown when some of the members were not making money and they defaulted. We had several meetings, including one chaired by the Deputy Speaker of Parliament in order to manage this debt and we worked out different ways of how that debt will be managed. Members have taken various steps to meet their obligations,’ Mr Beyanga said.

It is official. Singer Mathias Walukagga and film ‘star’ Proscovia Nabbosa secured the National Unity Platform’s endorsement to contest Busiro East and Mityana parliamentary seats respectively.

NUP rejected Medard Lubega Sseggona, a veteran legislator, and Joyce Bagala, a former journalist, who contested and won the seats in 2021 on the party’s ticket.

Critics are saying Parliament is going to the dogs because Mr Walukagga and Ms Nabbosa are not fit to be MPs. They are also saying NUP’s top leadership wants to work with yes-men/yes-women unlike politicians who are difficult to bring into line. But it is hard to argue cogently that Mr Walukagga and Ms Nabbosa are not fit to be MPs.

This claim does not stand up to close scrutiny. It reflects an ideal of who Ugandans wish their MPs were, not who the Constitution says they must be. Article 80 of the Constitution clearly states the qualifications and disqualifications of an MP. The first qualification is that an MP has to be a citizen of Uganda.

The second is that they must be a registered voter and the third is they must have completed a minimum formal education of Advanced-Level standard or its equivalent.

The disqualifications include not having a sound mind; holding or acting in an office whose functions involve a responsibility for or in connection with the conduct of an election; being a traditional or cultural leader as defined in the Constitution; being bankrupt under any law in force in Uganda; being under a death sentence or a sentence of imprisonment exceeding nine months without the option of a fine.

Mr Walukagga and Ms Nabbosa meet all the qualifications. Fortunately or unfortunately, they do not meet the disqualifications. They can stand in any parliamentary election, and if they secure more votes than those they are competing with, they get elected.

The question of whether they are fit to be in Parliament was settled by the Constitution in 1995. The Constitution is the supreme law of Uganda, and it was enacted by well-educated, intelligent, mature men and women.

They knew what they were doing. If anyone wants to keep Mr Walukagga and Ms Nabbosa out of Parliament, they have to amend the Constitution. New qualifications may include a first-class degree from a recognised university; being able to read, speak and write fluent English; being well-read and knowledgeable about a wide range of subjects and topics; and being familiar with the functions of Parliament.

Now let me turn to the other criticism, that NUP is going for yes-men/yes-women. This criticism loses sight of the way politics works, and it is surprising that it is coming from politicians. Politics is, almost by definition, power.

When you wield power, you want loyalists: people who will toe the line, people who will agree with you most of the time, people who will not challenge you, and your power.

In 2003, when President Museveni was laying the groundwork to remove term limits from the Constitution, Eria Kategaya, Bidandi Ssali, both had worked with him in Cabinet for decades and Miria Matembe publicly opposed him and were outspokenly critical of the move.

How did Mr Museveni react? He fired them. Politicians do not even choose the most qualified people for some jobs simply because they want people who will not give them a hard time.

NUP president Robert Kyagulanyi chose Joel Ssenyonyi for the Leader of the Opposition in Parliament. Mr Ssenyonyi is qualified (depending on who you speak to), but qualifications in politics are not always the decisive factor.

The late Mwai Kibaki, Kenya’s president after Daniel arap Moi, named Dr Newton Kulundu (deceased) the minister of Environment and Prof Wangari Mathaai (deceased) the assistant minister.

Ironically, Prof Maathai was the most qualified and went on to win a Nobel Prize for her environment-related work. Politics works in ways that even politicians themselves do not understand.

As Greece moves to tax citizens with more than 20 olive trees, questions arise about fairness, sustainability, and cultural heritage. Will this policy protect the economy-or push small farmers to abandon one of the world’s most symbolic trees?

So, the recent news from Greece is that the government is asking people who have more than 20 olive trees to declare that to the government. The reason is not that they want to encourage them to plant more trees, but rather the plan is to know what kind of revenue these tree owners may generate from trees, if they sell them to markets.

Of course, large-scale olive oil producers declare their sales while selling locally or abroad, and are subject to value added tax and corporate tax, so that is already covered. However, for some other small olive tree growers, the production goes towards their families and sometimes friends, and in case, in a certain year, the yields turn out to be excellent, some may be sold in the local markets alongside home-grown vegetables and fruits.

Some interesting facts about olive trees are that these evergreen trees are very ancient. Their longevity is well known and they can live up to 600 years or more. Their adaptation to poor soils and being drought-tolerant gives them resilience. However, they are also known to have what is called alternate bearing, which means the fruit yield can vary from one year to the next, and let us not forget that it takes many years for a tree to give fruit that can be used for olive oil extraction.

All the above said, the expectation that people should be taxed every year for fruits that may not be ‘fruitful’ just raises eyebrows. On another note, this expectation may have negative effects on tree owners who may end up abandoning these trees and, in worst case scenarios, cut them down.

Olive trees are considered sacred, with many meanings attributed to them, such as wisdom and power. The olive branch, as we all know, is a symbol of peace and olive oil is used in some religious rituals for purification and blessings. The olive tree has also been named in the Holy Koran on different occasions as food through its olives, as a blessed tree, also as a source of light that can be produced by the oil extracted from the olives.

I have not heard such praises for many trees as I have for the olive tree. As all olive lovers know, this is one fruit that you cannot just pick and eat while standing under the tree.

We all enjoy picking fruits from trees that will end up right away either in our mouths or on our kitchen table. However, in this case, the just-picked olive is very bitter and has to undergo many processes to become edible. So, having to wait all these years to start the first harvest and then wait alternate years to have more harvest does not help this produce to be highly profitable except in cases of very large quantities with professional harvesting methods.

My personal view about agriculture in general is that governments not only need to encourage more farming, but they should also assist farmers to produce more crops by reducing taxes and bureaucracy when it comes to selling such products.

Planting the right crops helps farmers and communities. If this farming is done through proper methods, it will have a great impact on our environment.

KCCA overcame Calvary 4-2 at the MTN Omondi Stadium, Lugogo, on Friday evening to move top of the StarTimes Uganda Premier League table.

Goals from Ivan Ahimbisibwe, Umar Lutalo, Shafik Nana Kwikiriza and Herbert Achai sealed the win for the Kasasiro Boys, while Lawrence Olaboro and Stephen Oriokot scored for the visitors.

Ahimbisibwe opened the scoring in the 10th minute before Lutalo doubled the lead just three minutes later. Nana added a third two minutes before the break to give KCCA a commanding 3-0 halftime advantage.

Calvary briefly threatened a comeback when Olaboro pulled one back early in the second half, but Achai restored the three-goal cushion with a header from a corner in the 63rd minute.

Oriokot reduced the deficit again in the 71st minute, but the hosts comfortably saw out the victory.

The result lifts KCCA to 11 points from five matches, while Calvary – still without a win – remain second from bottom with a single point after four successive away games.

Mr Christopher Galubale, 73, a resident of Namukunu Village in Buyende District, and his 60-year-old LC1 chairperson, Mr George Kika, were among the graduands at YMCA Jinja Campus’ 22nd graduation in Jinja City on Friday.

The duo graduated with a Certificate in Basic Computer Literacy at a ceremony at which 672 others were conferred upon certificates and diplomas in various disciplines. Of these, 581 (86%) were female and 93 (14%) were male.

Mr Galubale decided to return to school at such an advanced age because the current digital era is demand-driven.

‘Almost everything these days is digitalised; so, I decided to enroll and be able to use a computer. I appeal to the youth not to look at education as having an end. Each person has something new to learn at any given time,’ Mr Galubale said.

Mr Kika, on the other hand, said he returned to school to set an example among the locals after the YMCA opened up a study centre in Buyende District.

Last August, YMCA opened up a study centre in Namukunu Village, Bugaya Sub-county, Buyende District, where their instructors head every Thursday and Friday, in a bid to extend vocational training in line with the institution’s mission of taking services nearer the people.

‘I enrolled without any computer skills, but can now wire a computer, assemble it or use it for whatever commands I choose. This certificate isn’t in vain, and I am still enrolling for further studies.’

Prof James Luyonga Nkata, the chancellor of YMCA Comprehensive Institute (YCI) and chairman Uganda YMCA National Executive Committee, who was the guest of honour, said the country’s needs lie in vocational education.

‘The 22nd YMCA Jinja Campus graduation has empowered more than 500 women, which is a significant contribution to the girl child education and skilling in the country. I want to thank the government for enacting an Act, which will guide vocational training in this country,’ said Prof Nkata.

The Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) Act 2025 aims to enhance skills development in Uganda by establishing a structured framework for vocational education and training.

Officially published in the Gazette on March 14, 2025, and came into effect on March 15, 2025, this Act represents a significant reform in the country’s vocational education landscape, aiming to improve the quality and relevance of technical training to meet the needs of the labor market.

‘About 60% of Uganda’s population is young, who need skill, knowledge, and education to survive in the world; the claim for employment has changed in this country, and the labour market looks for skilled people who know what to do, and who can do it,’ said Prof Nkata.

Mr Lambert Okure Drata, the YMCA Jinja Campus Principal, said this graduation was ‘special’ because they were passing out graduates with Uganda Business and Technical Examinations Board (UBTEB), Kyambogo University awards, and YMCA College of Business Studies, Jinja.

He said the majority of the graduands were awarded according to the new Technical and Vocational Education Act 2025, adding that out of the graduands, 13% passed with distinction in external examinations of UBTEB and Kyambogo University.

‘We have previously only had about six or seven with First Class, but the number is increasing. It was at this graduation that we had the pioneer students in the College of Diploma in Certificate, Records and Information Management and Diploma in Beauty and Cosmetology,’ Mr Drata added.

When Fufa announced Belgian Paul Joseph Put as the new Uganda Cranes coach on November 2, 2023, the mandate was clear: qualify for Afcon 2025, improve Uganda’s World Cup qualifying performance, and build a competitive, sustainable squad.

Unlike previous coaches, Put was given the freedom to select his own backroom staff, blending Belgian expertise with Ugandan support to strengthen every area of the team.

And over the past two years, he has delivered tangible results. Uganda secured qualification for Afcon 2025 with key victories over South Sudan and Congo, alongside a critical draw against South Africa.

With this, the Cranes will be making a return to the Afcon finals next month in Morocco – their first appearance at this stage since Egypt 2019.

In World Cup qualifiers, the Cranes finished second in a challenging group featuring Algeria, Mozambique, Botswana, Guinea, and Somalia – recording vital wins and proving their competitiveness on the continental stage.

Beyond competitive fixtures, friendly internationals and Chan qualifiers allowed Put to test his squad, rotate players, and build tactical depth.

Deeper Look at the numbers

Across two years, Put presided over 25 matches as the Uganda Cranes coach – 10 in World Cup qualifiers, six in Afcon qualifiers, two in Chan qualifiers (he sat out the Chan tournament), and seven friendlies.

In total, he recorded 14 wins, three draws, and eight losses, translating into a 56 percent overall win rate.

More significantly, in competitive fixtures – the World Cup, Afcon, and Chan qualifiers combined – Put’s Cranes won 12 of 18 matches, a 67 percent success rate that reflects both consistency and tactical growth.

The closest in the recent past is Milutin ‘Micho’ Sredojevic, who posted 51.4 percent in his first spell.

Put’s teams were fairly efficient in qualifying campaigns, often winning the must-win games, and competitive against stronger sides.

The friendlies, though less convincing, provided valuable testing ground for emerging players and new combinations – rounding off a tenure defined more by steady progress than erratic form.

More than the results

Put’s tenure has not just been about results; it has been about restoring discipline, fostering tactical organisation, and instilling a renewed sense of belief in the Cranes.

The Belgian has also managed to almost effortlessly integrate foreign-born players with Ugandan roots – such as Elio Capradossi, Jordan Obita, and Toby Sibbick – while finding a way to get Allan Okello thriving among the domestic cast.

For a team navigating the pressures of dual competitions, the progress under Put has been tangible and measurable, making the tainted past that accompanied his arrival quietly fade into the background.

Fufa’s loud silence

Yet, with his contract expiring, Fufa have said little, if anything, publicly. When asked about the coach’s future, Communications Director Ahmed Hussein only remarked that ‘all matters within the jurisdiction of the executive committee are being handled.’

With Afcon 2025 just seven weeks away, this silence is striking – but, as Hussein hinted, it will perhaps end soon.

Looking ahead, several scenarios are possible. Put could renew his contract and lead Uganda into Afcon, maintaining continuity – the more likely event.

Or, depending on who is still holding out, Fufa could be nudged into a fresh direction, much like when Egypt’s Pyramids lured Sébastien Desabre away with big money in 2019.

There have been murmurs of interest from bigger African nations, which could strengthen Put’s bargaining power, but, as ever in football, time will tell.

Put’s total matches in charge

WC qualifiers: 10

Afcon qualifiers: 6

Chan qualifiers: 2

Friendlies: 7

Total: 25 matches

Wins, draws and losses

Competition W D L

WC Qualifiers 6 0 4

Afcon Qualifiers 4 1 1

Chan Qualifiers 2 0 0

Friendlies 2 2 3

Total wins: 14

Total draws: 3

Total losses: 8

Collective wins: 56%

Competitive wins: 67%

‘God created mankind in His image; in the image of God He created them; male and female He created them.’ (Genesis 1:27)

Since time immemorial, humankind has struggled with the proper appreciation of the body cum its relationship to the soul. Ancient Greek philosophers viewed the spirit as noble but the body as evil. The 12th Century Christian Albigensians, who were quite puritanical in their outlook, believed God had created only the spiritual world, while the devil was responsible for the material world. They viewed the spiritual world as good and the material world as evil.

Many prevalent ideas concerning human sexuality today are rooted in the dualism of the French philosopher René Descartes (1596-1650), among others. This means that there is no real integration between the body and the soul.

Gender ideology is radically opposed to a sound understanding of human nature. It leads to forms of cultural influence that promote a notion of personal identity, which is left to the choice of the individual and that deny the anthropological basis of the family as founded on the biological difference and reciprocal complementarity between male and female.

The Christian vision is that humans have a body like the animals, but can reason and will, totally unlike them. The body is a sign that points to a spiritual reality. It actually has data to tell us about what it means to be human.

The Catholic Church teaches that the body is an integral and indispensable aspect of what it means to be a human person. The body and soul come into existence together, in an individual human being, at the time of conception. At conception, God wills that the human body is good and sexually differentiated as male or female.

Our bodies do not make us sin, as some people believe. God made us free, and we sin freely. Many times when we choose to sin, especially sexual sin, we forget exactly what our bodies are, and the unity of the soul and the body. In the deepest reality of the human person, we cannot understand the spiritual without the body. We cannot know God without the unity of the Incarnation and our own body/soul unity.

The body, in fact, and only the body, is capable of making visible what is invisible: the spiritual and the divine. St Paul teaches that the body is a temple of the Holy Spirit. It is through the power of the Holy Spirit that we can glorify God in our bodies. God commands us to take proper care of our bodies by nourishing them, being hygienic and treating them when we fall sick.

St Pope John Paul II, whose memory we observe on October 22, left us with a great legacy on the teaching on the ‘Theology of the body’. He provides an in-depth look at human sexuality and also focuses on explaining man and woman as they were created, and God’s plan for both sexes. Accordingly, proper knowledge on marriage and human sexuality is of great importance in our daily lives, civilisation, culture, community, family, and the Church.

We are taught that the human body is holy because God made it, and everything God makes has a purpose. We are to bring glory to God with our bodies, so we cannot compartmentalise our lives and think that we can divorce our bodies and live as if only our spirit matters. The human body is owned twice by God; once because he created it and again because he redeemed it. Every day, our bodies enable us to proclaim the goodness and love of our God. Contraception and sex activity outside marriage are sinful because they render human sexuality a mere tool or utility.

When God chose to save us, He took on a human body; showing that the body is valuable to God, and echoing the claims of Genesis that everything He created is good. Jesus so highly values the human body that much of His ministry on earth is actively feeding people and healing diseases. He often urged His disciples to observe rest for their tired bodies.

Mary of Nazareth offered her body to bear the Saviour of the world. Jesus applied His body for the saving mission, through word and deeds. He sacrificed His Body for our salvation. We eat His Body for our spiritual nourishment. We worship God with our redeemed bodies and souls. The martyrs and those who embrace celibacy/chastity for the sake of the kingdom of God, truly imitate Christ.