Pool Association of Uganda amends constitution to meet Sports Act deadline

The Pool Association of Uganda (PAU) was among the many federations racing against time to meet the June 20 deadline set by the National Council of Sports (NCS) for realignment with the new Sports Act.

The association convened on June 18 and successfully amended its constitution in time to submit the required paperwork. However, much work still lies ahead.

“The main agenda in our Extraordinary General Assembly was the constitutional review. We had to submit a new constitution that aligns with the Sports Act and meets the National Council of Sports requirements for registration,” explained PAU chairman Bob Trubish.

The sport has been on a determined mission to overhaul a constitution that was already considered outdated years ago.

“We aimed to close any loopholes in the previous constitution which was last reviewed in 2016 and create a version that members felt confident in,” Trubish added.

Only 36 out of a possible 66 members attended the meeting and adopted the new constitution. In accordance with the new sports law, PAU has now instituted a supervisory committee to oversee the executive body and ensure adherence to established plans and procedures. The committee will comprise four members who will be elected.

The PAU also took steps to clearly define who qualifies as a delegate. Those who attend assemblies and those who hold voting rights, something that was previously undefined.

“Previously, any club representative could attend as a delegate. Now, that individual must have at least two years of leadership experience within their respective club or regional body,” Trubish clarified.

“Additionally, to gain voting rights in an assembly, one must have been an active association member for at least four years. Without that, voting rights won’t be granted.”

These reforms are aimed at ensuring that individuals with the sport’s best interests at heart are the ones making key decisions.

“We have strengthened the structures around decision-making and governance. After all, the assembly be it an AGM or EGM—is the highest authority within the association,” he said.

PAU remains committed to its goal of achieving recognition as a federation.

“We plan to submit a fresh application to the NCS within the next six to twelve months. Although we currently cover around 100 districts, we needed more time to finalize all the requirements for federation status. For now, we’ve registered as an association but will resubmit as a federation soon. The constitution may need a few minor adjustments for that, but not many,” he noted.

The members also resolved to hold fresh elections within the next three months. Once registration is completed and approved by the NCS, an Extraordinary General Meeting will be convened to adopt an electoral committee, now provided for in the new constitution.