Magogo scores own goal

‘Develop the league’

Mujib Kasule the proprietor of Proline FC, a football club, is one of those vying for the FUFA top job. His vision for Ugandan football is anchored on developing the league. Kasule says Magogo’s FUFA does not see this. “We have a big challenge because FUFA has made us believe that football ends with Cranes. They have focused all their energy and resources on Cranes.”

He says the structures below Cranes are crumbling. “We may have had some small gains with Cranes but we are losing the bigger picture; no youth system, regions, districts, clubs, all these structures are struggling.”

Kasule believes strengthening the league will boost players, coaches and football administrators. “The league happens throughout the year while Cranes plays about four matches a year.”

Out of the Shs10 billion that goes to football, Kasule says he intends to redistribute half of that to the league. His plan includes giving Shs100 million to each club per season and Shs400 million in prize money.

He hopes to sell this plan to FUFA delegates who elect the president. Usually FUFA presidents enjoy incumbency and winning over delegates is a hard task for new candidates.

To be elected, candidates have to win over the 48 delegates from the six regions. “I am selling this plan to the delegates and I am promising them Shs125 million for every region compared to the Shs25 million FUFA currently gives them. It is really nothing.”

Kasule says he wants to empower the regions with more roles and funding accusing Magogo of running everything remotely from the centre at Mengo.  “The Cranes bubble has burst” he summed up Magogo’s tenure at FUFA House.

Magogo was a right hand man of his immediate predecessor Lawrence Mulindwa. Under Mulindwa, Magogo was the FUFA Competitions Secretary where he was key in many FUFA executive decisions; including machinations that saw him unopposed while running as FUFA president in 2013 when Mulindwa stepped down.

In 2017, Magogo was again unopposed but not without controversies as critics chided him for lack of accountability while handling football monies. One of his biggest critics, Allan Sewanyana, MP for Makindye West, a football administrator in his own right is also running against him.

The chairman of Katwe United, a local football club does not have a very different path from Kasule but wants to develop women football and the second division of the Uganda Super League. “I want to create a football environment where we can bring more money into football.” He hopes once elected, Uganda can qualify for the World Cup.

Magogo and his rivals for now have a lot to ponder on; recruiting a new coach for the Cranes and the embarrassing prospect of the team playing World Cup qualifying home games abroad because Namboole stadium was disapproved by FIFA, among other issues.

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