Poor facilities fails S. Sudan bid to host 2012 regional games

January 30, 2012 (JUBA) — Newly independent South Sudan’s bid to host
this year’s East Africa Secondary School games suffered a major blow,
after members of the Federation of East Africa Secondary Schools
Sports Associations (FEASSSA) resolved the country did not have enough
facilities to host more than 2000 participants.

The decision follows a request reportedly made by South Sudan’s
education ministry last year, which expressed interest in hosting the
annual competition previously held in Mbarara, Uganda.

But according to FEASSSA’s assessment report, a copy of which Sudan
Tribune has seen, the sports body cited inadequate accommodation
facilities and poor infrastructures linking schools as some of the
setbacks to South Sudan’s bid to host the regional games.

“When our assessment team visited South Sudan to assess their
facilities, they submitted a report that does not support them as
favorites to host the games,” said FEASSSA’s president, Justus
Mugisha.

“Being a new nation, they have not put up enough accommodation
facilities in the new schools that are being established,” he added.

Instead, he said, either Burundi or Tanzania could host the games
scheduled from August to September later this year.

South Sudan, which suffered decades of civil wars that destroyed most
infrastructure recently launched a 10-year strategic plan that seeks
to uplift the country’s poor road network. If fully implemented, South
Sudan will eventually be linked to the rest of the East African
nations with improved roads, railways and bridges.

(ST)