By Immanuel Ben Misagga Over the past few days, social media has been awash with several damning revelations and incriminating stories about the legislature, especially the parliament commission. Dubbed the parliament exhibition on Twitter, a lot of dirt has been unearthed about the workings and dealings in the House. Interestingly, the name of Budiope East MP Moses Magogo, also the Fufa president, has featured prominently among the biggest spenders or wasters of taxpayers’ money on foreign trips. I have so many areas of disagreement with Magogo, especially with the way he runs Fufa, but I don’t doubt his passion for…
Author: Guest Entry
By Immanuel Ben Misagga When Morley Byekwaso, the National Under-20 coach, named his squad for the ongoing Dire Cup in Ethiopia, I noticed the conspicuous inclusion of Shafik Magogo, the son of Fufa president Moses Magogo. I know Magogo is a shrewd, power-hungry individual who runs the federation like his home. So many things ran through my mind: does he merit a place on the team after only two league appearances for Kitara FC? Was Byekwaso coerced to include the youngster? Is he being fast-tracked? Is he simply a tourist on the team? Is it a case of nepotism flying…
By Immanuel Ben Misagga At the very least, I expect Fufa to address the nation with some key takeaways from the just-concluded Africa Cup of Nations in Ivory Coast. Planning, security, marketing as well as the action on the pitch itself, are never-ending learning issues in hosting international football tournaments. I say this because Uganda is preparing to jointly-host the 2027 Afcon. Unfortunately, I do not expect much from Fufa beyond the usual rhetoric. After all, I know that Fufa’s biggest concern is not the success of the tournament but government’s funding of the federation for the preparation and organization.…
By Immanuel Ben Misagga Last weekend, Molly Byekwaso guided the national Under-18 side to the Cecafa title in Kenya. Byekwaso is one of the fastest-rising coaches in the country and has already proved he is an excellent handler of young talent. Three years ago, he led the national Under-20 side to the final of the continental championship, and with this latest feat, his star continues to soar. I have no doubt he is one of the few elite coaches with astute game-reading skills and as Uganda prepares to host the 2027 Afcon, logic suggests that the current Under-18s will be…
By Immanuel Ben Misagga Back in 2021, Fufa president Moses Magogo commenced on the task to revamp the archaic sports laws by seeking leave from parliament to draft a private member’s bill. It was a commendable move but in the process, he soiled it by not involving other sports stakeholders in the drafting of the bill. It was not until he tabled it that parliament sought fresh ideas and whereas there were some back-and-forth deliberations, the timeframe was too short. Nonetheless, President Museveni finally assented to the eagerly-awaited National Sports Act in August, 2023. I have my reservations with the…
By Immanuel Ben Misagga A simple scan through social media posts about Ugandan football is enough to confirm two polar opposites: Ugandans are disconnected from Fufa. One school of thought suggests either Ugandans are unappreciative of the efforts of Moses Magogo and his Fufa leadership or they are simply fed up with the federation’s mediocrity.Anyone who has read this column more than once knows where I fall. In Magogo’s 10-year reign as Fufa president, he has achieved a lot, such as increasing the Fufa budget tenfold, improving player allowances and being his tenure when The Cranes twice qualified for the…
By Immanuel Ben Misagga Last week, referee Fahad Sekayuba was waylaid and badly beaten by goons on his way home after officiating in the match between UPDF and Express in Bombo. It was yet another sad episode in our game and should be condemned by all stakeholders. Such acts of violence further dent the image of our game not to mention chasing away potential sponsors. The near-death experience was blamed on Express FC fans, who are said to have been disappointed with the way he handled the 1-1 draw. In the follow-up, FUFA suspended all Uganda Premier League (UPL) fixtures…
The participating teams were drawn from the Special Forces Command, Armoured Brigade, Motorized Infantry, CMI, Magamaga, Field Artillery Division, Jinja Cantonment, Military Police. The 01, 02, 03 and 04 Divisions were among the participating teams.
By George Katongole In a groundbreaking endeavor, young Ugandan businessman Hamis Kiggundu is revolutionising the sports landscape by reconstructing Nakivubo Stadium to meet international standards. With an investment of $200 million, Kiggundu’s vision goes beyond profitability; it aims to inspire a new era of prosperity and community development through sports. Nakivubo Stadium’s estimated cost places in an esteemed league, standing just below the likes of Estadio 11 de Novembro in Angola ($227m), Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium in South Africa ($270m), and other iconic venues. Ambitious Nakivubo Stadium has a rich history dating back to its establishment in the 1920s. It…
By Immanuel Ben Misagga I wish to commend the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) of parliament for exposing the rot in Ugandan sport. The zeal with which the committee is investigating sports matters was long overdue. However, I am concerned the investigations are taking a predictable trend which may not yield results if it stops at the small fish in sports federations. The conflicts between the National Council of Sports (NCS) and the heads of boxing and netball have been around for some time and have a lot to do with personal egos as much as financial impropriety. However, it is…