In January, National Council of Sports (NCS) granted all national sports federations and associations a remedial compliance period of five months within which to align with the registration requirements under the 2023 National Sports Act and the National Sports Regulation, 2025.
When the Act was passed, it paved the way – under Section 7 – for the federations and associations running the 51 existing and recognized sports disciplines to embark on a new legal regime. Previously, these bodies registered as trusts under the Ministry of Lands but were supervised by NCS.
On March 14, 2025 the Ministry of Education for Sports (MoES) through its Minister Janet Museveni and State Minister for Sports Peter Ogwang, officially published in the Uganda Gazette the Regulations, S.I No. 24 of 2025, to guide the process while on April 28, 2025, the Attorney General guided NCS that the existing sports organizations first register under the new Act and acquire corporate status before they can then undertake the necessary legal processes to de-register as trusts to ensure proper transfer of assets, liabilities and legal obligations.
Last year in June, 45 of the 51 organizations (NSOs) managed to beat the submission deadline in a bid to re-register with NCS as mandated by law. Uganda Ultimate Frisbee Association, Uganda Floorball Association, Uganda Deaf Sports Federation, Association of Uganda University Sports, Uganda Rollball Association, and Uganda Body Building and Fitness Association are the six that failed to submit applications then and ‘NCS has commenced the legal process for revocation of their respective Certificates of Recognition in accordance with the law.’
NCS embarked on a nationwide verification prowess to validate the submitted data at the time. The findings informed the NCS board’s December 2025 decision to grant the aforementioned grace period.
With just under two weeks to the June 7 remedial deadline, NCS general secretary Bernard Ogwel revealed during a press briefing in Lugogo on Monday that only ‘Uganda Rugby, Kabaddi Federation of Uganda, and Uganda Athletics have submitted documentations towards remedying the identified non-compliance issues within the stipulated period.’
Verification challenges
In February and March, NCS undertook another physical verification and compliance support exercise to provide legal and technical support to the organizations on identified issues and to assess their operational existence, governance structures, administrative systems, and adherence to the law.
NCS could not undertake meetings with Uganda Fencing Association ‘at its Mbiko-Buikwe offices due to the non-responsiveness and elusiveness of the designated contact person,’ Ogwel, who was flanked by his assistants, and other staff of NCS, said.
He further added that ‘due to its nature as a multi-sport organization, the Attorney General guided that at an opportune time, the Act shall be amended to accommodate the Uganda Paralympics Committee.’
NCS’s head of legal Diana Kwesiga added that an organization is mandated to run just one discipline under the new law.
Ogwel further revealed that the NCS board meetings in February and March decided that the applications of Uganda Dragon Boat Federation and Uganda Canoe Kayak Federation ‘be rejected following findings that forged audited books of accounts had been submitted on two occasions.’
Meanwhile, there were objections lodged against Cricket Uganda, Uganda Darts Association, Uganda Draughts Federation, Uganda Lacrosse Association, VX Uganda, Uganda Rowing Federation, Uganda Table Tennis Association, and Uganda Boxing Federation.
These were also given up to June to resolve issues with their detractors before completing their compliance requirements with NCS in July and August.
Kwesiga, who has been leading NCS’s field works, revealed that organizations claim not to have money to undertake compliance requirements.
‘They also claim the time was short but also most of them like to work on or towards deadlines while some have no or little knowledge of the law despite our guidance. Many have structural incapacities where one person is running everything while in some, members of executive committees cannot work together.
‘Sports federations also work in silos but we encourage them to work with other federations or the regulator,’ Kwesiga said.
Eco-system
Ogwel hinted that ‘no further extension of the remedial compliance period should be anticipated unless otherwise determined by the NCS board in exceptional circumstances.’
‘The law came out in 2023 and the Instrument in March last year. So, the organizations have really had time.
‘Failure by any NSO to attain full compliance within the stipulated timelines shall lead to automatic rejection of the application for registration and revocation of the organization’s Certificate of Recognition.
‘Government gives over Shs503 billion to support sports so these (compliance) processes are for us to build a strong eco-system for sports development. In fact we (NCS) have provided all funding required to federations 100 percent for the last four years and most do not even announce when they get this money. We must now start demanding accountability (for the current financial year) as the Auditor General is also already here following up on the same two months in advance,’ Ogwel revealed.
In the wider scheme of things locked out organizations can continue to operate as promoters of their sports disciplines but cannot claim to represent the interests of the country. They also open a window for other individuals to apply as national promoters of the sport. They also cannot receive funding from NCS, which is also pushing for the suspension of ring-fenced funding by Parliament.
The timeline
September 2023 – National Sports Act enacted
March 2025 – Gazette of National Sports Regulations, S.I No. 24 of 2025
April 2025 – Attorney General advises NCS to register organizations before they de-register as trusts
June 2025 – 45 of 51 National Sports Organizations submit applications, NCS starts verification
December 2025 – NCS Board grants remedial compliance period
February / March 2026 – NCS undertakes another verification process, rejects Canoe/ Kayak and Dragon Boats application
June 7 – Remedial period ends
August – Remedial period for organizations facing objections ends