In a sport where key decisions must often be quickly taken, the officious structure of KCCA FC’s management has come under the spotlight for slowing down the institution’s decision-making process, and, as in the case of Sam Ssimbwa’s botched hiring, costing the club.

According to new board chairman Andrew Mukiibi, the club’s governing structure is not to blame.

“The body corporate called KCCA FC has a governance structure and it is headed by the board,” said Mukiibi in an exclusive interview with New Vision Sports.

“After the board, you have a management structure headed by the CEO, and that CEO has three managers: there is a manager for business and corporate affairs, there is a manager for technical affairs, who is in charge of the coaching staff – the head coach and the team. And there is a manager of administration and human resource.

“Now those people are tasked with the day-to-day management of the club. The board is at strategic level. It has its roles: to offer leadership, guidance, planning and so on.”

He added: “We just do the planning; where is the money going to come from? where is the club going to be in the next five years? How should it be governed in the next five years? That's our role, not the management of the club. I'm not in the management of that. I'm not. There's a CEO.”

Mukiibi argues that KCCA’s struggles on and off the pitch can be traced back to the failure to “manage the transition” from the previous season to this one.

“The previous board left when it had released 10 senior players,” he said. “So you wanted my board after four weeks in charge to do miracles, after the club released 10 senior players, and you brought in 10 new players? And of the 10 new, seven are foreigners. And at the same time, you bring in a new coach, with a totally new philosophy.

“What to do you expect?”

Bottom of the log KCCA have one draw and five losses in six Uganda Premier League games this season, and are still in the market for a coach after failing to complete the signing of Ssimbwa. 

The club has been linked to Abdallah Mubiru and Alex Isabirye.