The Independent Uganda: You get the Truth we Pay the Price
Entebbe, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | President Yoweri Museveni has celebrated Uganda’s success at the just concluded Commonwealth Games, saying, sportsmen have been able to flourish because of long time peace in the country.
“For those who are saying that we (Government) are harvesting where we didn’t sow, thats not true. This talent has been able to flourish in peaceful times. Insecurity affects sports, you can’t be a sports man in an unstable country,” he told Team Uganda that he hosted at State House on Sunday.
“Resources are just facilitating factors. You were even able to beat other countries that have better resources, Some did not get any Gold medals. Resources a just one part, ” he said, adding that, “You cannot look after athletes well, when life itself is not secure.”
“I thank the winners and the entire team for making us (Uganda) proud, ” he said.
The President challenged administrators that they should learn to achieve results with few resources. “You might not have resources but have a mission,” he said.
“I urge the administrators to explore ways of manufacturing sports equipment here in Uganda so that money used to buy equipment is channeled to welfare of sports persons.”
He confirmed earlier promises for monthly payments for medal winners. “For international or continental events, I promised these children that whoever wins gold, I will give them a monthly salary of sh5m, sh3m for silver and sh1m for bronze,” he said.
Uganda won six medals at the Commonwealth Games, three gold, a silver and two bronze. The medalist at the games were Joshua Cheptege, two gold medals in the men 5000m & 10000m races; Stella Chesang , Gold- Women`s 10000m race; Silver for Munyo Mutai in Mens Marathon and Bronze, MercylineChelengat, women`s 10000m race and Juma Miiro, Boxing, mens 49kg category
Uganda was ranked 15th out of 71 countries that took part.
.@KagutaMuseveni: I once again congratulate the entire team that represented us at the Commonwealth games and those that won medals #CelebratingTeamUg #CWG2018 pic.twitter.com/9SVOi0CcvQ
— State House Uganda (@StateHouseUg) April 22, 2018
Uganda medals 1954-2018
| Games | Gold | Silver | Bronze | Total | Rank |
| 1954 Vancouver | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 14 |
| 1958 Cardiff | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 17 |
| 1962 Perth | 1 | 1 | 4 | 6 | 11 |
| 1966 Kingston | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 19 |
| 1970 Edinburgh | 3 | 3 | 1 | 7 | 9 |
| 1974 Christchurch | 2 | 4 | 3 | 9 | 10 |
| 1982 Brisbane | 0 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 18 |
| 1990 Auckland | 2 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 11 |
| 1994 Victoria | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 24 |
| 1998 Kuala Lumpur | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 32 |
| 2002 Manchester | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 30 |
| 2006 Melbourne | 2 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 15 |
| 2010 Delhi | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 18 |
| 2014 Glasgow | 1 | 0 | 4 | 5 | 18 |
| 2018 Gold Coast | 3 | 1 | 2 | 6 | 15 |
| Total | 16 | 16 | 23 | 55 | 17 |
