MASAKA– Brigadier General Charity Bainababo, Director of Women Affairs, has underscored the importance of women’s participation in sports as a demonstration of empowerment within the Uganda Peoples’ Defence Forces (UPDF).
Speaking at the 17th Edition of the Chief of Defence Forces (CDF) Cup 2025 in Masaka, Brig Gen Bainababo encouraged female combatants to actively engage in sports, stressing the benefits of teamwork and fitness.
“Sports is important for us as people in uniform,” she said. “First of all, it enhances our fitness, but also the teamwork.” She added that sports strengthen cohesion and help soldiers understand each other’s abilities, which is essential for operational readiness.
Brig Gen Bainababo further called on female soldiers to uphold discipline, cohesion, and efficiency in all their activities. “We get to know each other. We know each other’s abilities and capabilities because we are going to operate together anyway. So it’s good for us, good for our fitness, good for us to know each other, and it keeps your brain working for readiness as a soldier,” she noted.
The CDF Cup 2025 netball matches produced the following results:
Joint Staff Brigade beat MOI 54–13
1 Infantry Division overcame Marine 50–30
Military Police dominated Jinja Cantonment 62–5
3rd Infantry Division edged UPDF Air Force 27–25
The event was graced by senior UPDF officers, including Brig Gen Jackson Kajuba, Col Robert Ngabirano, and Lt Col John Andrew Kulu, alongside the participating netball teams.
