African football officials to grace Villa@40 fête

By Swalleh Kenyi

FOOTBALL Club officials from Zambia, DRC, Egypt and Rwanda are expected to join Sports Club Villa officials and fans as they celebrate 40 years of existence  at Hotel Africa’s Nile Hall on July 31st.

President Yoweri Museveni is expected to preside over the celebrations dubbed Villa@40 that got sh50m partnership boost from the national broadcaster UBC to promote and air it.

While responding to questions at a press conference at UBC boardroom, SC Villa president Emmanuel Misagga said that Zambian Football Federation president Kalusha Bwalya, officials from Zambia’s Nkana Red Devils, DR Congo’s TP Mazembe and Egypt’s El Masri among other foreign dignitaries will grace the celebrations.

Foreign and local artists have also been lined up to entertain fans at the event in which tables are being sold at sh50,000 for an individual and sh2m for a VIP corporate table seating 10 people. An individual can also be allowed to book space at the VIP table at sh200000.

UBC general manager Winston Agaba said that the partnership is part of broadcaster’s plans to promote local sport.

“Broadcasting and promotion of local sport is the only way to ensure the commercial viability and financial independence of the sports clubs and the industry which is lucrative worldwide,” Agaba told the assembled press.

To test the grounds, UBC has recently ventured into coverage of basketball and their head of marketing Dennis Mbidde said that the television also plans to go into televising volleyball, rugby and all the main football competitions soon.