It has been nearly a month since former netball star Betty Namuhenge went missing, and the family and police are still searching for answers.
The 58-year-old, who once played for Posta and the She Cranes, was reported missing by her family last month. Her sister, Brenda Masinde, says she last spoke to Namuhenge on February 5.
From thereon, her phone just went dead. But here is where things get a bit unclear. A neighbour in Ntinda UEB zone, who asked not to be named, says Namuhenge was actually last seen on January 26.
The family reported her disappearance to Kira Road police station, but so far, no real progress has been made. Understandably, her loved ones are under immense pressure and fear, especially her son, who is in Senior Six.
Police did put out an appeal for information about the former Stanbic bank employee and netball shooter, but nothing concrete has come through yet; not from the public, and not from the investigation itself.
Even former teammates from the legendary She Cranes squad have rallied together, using their WhatsApp group to spread the word. For those who followed Ugandan netball in the eighties and nineties, Namuhenge is a name that brings back memories.
She was not just another player, she was one of the finest shooters the country ever produced. Her career spanned top clubs such as Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA), Uganda Commercial Bank (UCB) and Posta Netball Club. And for more than a decade, she proudly wore the She Cranes jersey, representing Uganda on the national stage.
On court, she was known for sharp shooting, smart positioning, and an almost effortless reading of the game. Off court? Completely different story. She was reserved and fiercely private.
The kind of player who would show up, give her all and quietly head home as soon as the game ended. I remember that some of her most memorable moments came alongside teammates Phoebe Nakimera, Christine Ojamuge and Betty Nsereko.
Together, they formed a deadly combination that helped Uganda win the Cecafa Netball Cup in 1988 in Zimbabwe, a title the She Cranes had not won since 1984. She was also part of the squad that defeated Kenya to win the tournament again in the 1996. Her journey began in the mid-1980s at Trinity College Nabbingo, where she played in a school team stacked with future stars such as Recheal Lule and Rose Bisereko.
In 1986, KCCA coach Janet Nahamya snapped up both Namuhenge and Bisereko. Namuhenge was seen as the long-term replacement for veteran shooters Suzan Okello and Nsereko.
It took her some months to break into the senior team but by 1987, she had found her footing. By 1988, she was already on the national team. In 1989, she made the move to Uganda Commercial Bank (UCB) after landing a job with the institution.
UCB never won major silverware during her time, but she stayed loyal until 1993, when the parent institution pulled its financial support and the team folded. From there, she joined Posta Netball Club, where she truly shined.
Goals came naturally to her, and it ia well-known fact that Posta would not have beaten NIC to the 1994 league title without her. In 1995, Posta lost the title to NIC by just one point, but Namuhenge and her teammates kept pushing.
Three years later, in 1998, they finally dethroned NIC and reclaimed the national championship. By 2000, though, work at Stanbic bank was demanding more of her time.
She started missing training sessions and around the same time, Posta’s parent body was restructured, thereby weakening the club’s support system. In 2003, Namuhenge officially retired from netball and focused fully on her banking career until stepping away two years ago.
Now, her family is desperately asking for the public’s help. If you have seen Betty Namuhenge or know anything about her whereabouts, please reach out using these contacts: 0704628009, 0776843089, or 07772420779.
bzziwa@gmail.com
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