Busoga Kingdom has launched the ninth edition of the Busoga Masaza Football Tournament with a renewed call for men to take a leading role in tackling teenage pregnancy, one of the region’s most persistent social challenges.
The tournament, which kicks off on August 15 at the Namutumba District Headquarters in Busiki Chiefdom, will bring together teams representing the kingdom’s 14 chiefdoms.
This year’s theme, “Abasadha N’Empango Mukukomya Ekifuna Mabuunda mu Baana Abato” (“Men are the pillars in stopping teenage pregnancy”), reflects a deliberate shift toward engaging fathers, male guardians and young men in protecting girls from early pregnancy.
The campaign comes against the backdrop of consistently high teenage pregnancy rates in Busoga. According to successive Uganda Demographic and Health Surveys (UDHS), the region has remained among the areas with the highest proportion of girls aged 15 to 19 who have begun childbearing.
The 2022 Uganda Demographic and Health Survey found that about one in four girls in Busoga had either given birth or were pregnant with their first child, well above the national average.
Health experts attribute the high rates to poverty, school dropout, child marriage, gender-based violence and limited access to sexual and reproductive health information and services.
Early pregnancy often forces girls out of school, increases the risk of maternal and newborn complications, and limits future economic opportunities.
Launching the tournament, Busoga Kingdom’s Second Deputy Prime Minister, Ahmed Osman Noor, said the competition has evolved beyond football into a platform for addressing issues affecting communities across the region.
“Football brings people together, and when communities unite, they can confront challenges that affect families. This tournament is about nurturing talent, promoting discipline and using sport to encourage men to play a greater role in preventing teenage pregnancy,” Noor said.
He urged players, officials and supporters to uphold integrity throughout the competition, describing the tournament as a vehicle for both sports development and social transformation.
Organisers say awareness campaigns will run alongside the matches, with halftime discussions, community engagements and fan activities focusing on the role men can play in supporting girls’ education, preventing gender-based violence and promoting responsible parenthood.
MTN Uganda, the tournament’s headline sponsor, has committed 550 million shillings towards this year’s competition.
John Paul Okwi, MTN’s Manager for Sponsorships and Events, said the company views the tournament as an opportunity to support grassroots football while helping communities engage with important social issues.
“The Busoga Masaza Tournament demonstrates how sport can unite communities and inspire positive social change. We are proud to support a platform that nurtures talent while addressing issues that affect young people,” he said.
Besides football, the tournament will reward outstanding players, recognize community participation, and encourage digital engagement among supporters.
The winning team will receive 13 million shillings, while the runners-up will earn 9 million. Third- and fourth-placed teams will receive 6 million and 4 million shillings respectively.
For Busoga Kingdom, however, organisers say the greatest victory would be using football’s popularity to spark conversations that help reduce teenage pregnancies and keep more girls in school-URN. Give us feedback on this story through our email: kamwokyatimes@gmail.com
