Jan 15 or never -- Ugandan clubs could be thrown out of CAF

BY NORMAN KATENDEUGANDAN clubs risk being locked out of CAF competitions if FUFA does not clear a sh7.8m debt with the continent’s soccer governing body by January 15.SC Villa, Express and KCC will not participate in the Champions League, Cup Winner’s Cup and CAF Cup respectively unless FUFA rally their resources to beat the deadline.A letter from CAF received by FUFA on Friday spelt it out in no unclear terms that either FUFA sent $4500 to Cairo by January 15 or Ugandan clubs are thrown out of Africa. The clubs are not the only ones that stand to lose. The ban, if effected, will also affect the national junior teams that are slated to take part in the Africa Youth championships and the U-23 competitions.“We are doing everything possible to see that we pay up. We surely need our clubs to play in these competitions,” said FUFA treasurer Patrick Isiagi.Isiagi said that Uganda had paid $2, 800 to CAF before the FUFA elections in November to ease the debt and allow the clubs to register for their continental meets.“We are going to meet over the matter. I am sure we will solve it in time,” he said.Most of the $4,500 debt was incurred through fines last year.The fines arose from Military Police’s failure to host a Cup Winners Cup return leg match last year. The same club, along with CAF Cup participants KCC, were also fined for late submission of team lists to CAF last year.A smaller part of the money is Uganda’s annual subscription to the continental body.r Former Federation of Uganda Football Referees Association (FUFRA) boss Kigongo Bukenya took a presumptious step and recommended himself to FUFA as the chairman of the referees standing committee.“I received the letter from him (Bukenya) recommending himself, it is in the files,” said FUFA secretary Haruna Mawanda yesterday.Mawanda said that he was going to consult with the referees and come up with names to be on the standing committee.But the referees body denies ever recommending Bukenya, or anyone for that matter, to FUFA.However, FUFRA boss Aggrey Kibenge downplayed the development.“Maybe he sent the letter before he was voted out of office,” Kibenge said. But he insisted that FUFRA has never recommended any referees to FUFA.“We are planning to meet FUFA and discuss about the development,” he said.Efforts to contact Kigongo on the matter were futile.