FUFA, USL agree to bury hatchet
Aug 29, 2014
Efforts to end the long standing feud between soccer governing body FUFA and USL could soon be history.
By James Bakama
Efforts to end the long standing feud between soccer governing body FUFA and USL could soon be history.
The two bodies have finally agreed to work together in organizing the country’s top football competition.
The FUFA-USL bond starts crystalizing on Friday with the establishment of a power sharing secretariat to run the Uganda Premier League.
At the height of the differences between the two bodies two parallel leagues were organized.
The Uganda Premier League, a merger of the FUFA Super League and Uganda Super League, was the idea of Education and Sports Minister Jessica Alupo.
FUFA has finalized regulations that will govern the new league. What remains now is announcement of the staff. USL have on their part appointed Paul Kabaikaramu and Eric Owor as their representatives.
FUFA Competitions Manager Ali Mwebe explained that the secretariat will be answerable to a board.
The board will comprise of two people from the FUFA Super League Board, the same number from USL and one person from FUFA.
USL head Kavuma Kabenge, who has for months been in talks with FUFA boss Moses Magogo, the clubs, the sponsors-SuperSport and State Minister Charles Bakkabulindi, has welcomed the move.
“I have always said that the way forward for Ugandan football is professionalism,” noted the city lawyer. “The easiest way of getting money is by selling our product-football to TV-in this case SuperSport.”
The top tier league is tentatively set to start at various venues on Tuesday.
Kabenge said all clubs have signed deeds of adherence to the sponsorship contract save for Victoria University and Vipers.
South African television company SuperSport in 2011 signed a five-year $5m sponsorship deal for the league- the biggest ever sports package in Uganda.
Clashes between the two bodies over allocation of the money however undermined the sponsorship shortly afterwards.
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