Nile dries up
Dec 19, 2003
FUFA suffered another blow yesterday after Nile Breweries terminated its sponsorship of the national soccer league
By William Muwonge
FUFA suffered another blow yesterday after Nile Breweries terminated its sponsorship of the national soccer league.
Management of the brewing giants said in a statement that Uganda’s soccer governing body had failed to live up to the sponsorship agreement.
The move ends plans to sponsor until 2004-2005 season what was referred to as the Nile Special Super league (NSSL).
The company together with Shell, Coca Cola, BAT Uganda and telephone company MTN struck a sponsorship agreement with the old FUFA executive of Twaha Kakaire in 1998.
But MTN, Coca Cola and BAT pulled out of the deal last year citing FUFA’s unprofessional conduct.
Nile Breweries management said yesterday that consideration for the agreement was based on the assumption that FUFA would run the league professionally.
“It is, however, regrettable that FUFA has not in any respect endeavoured to honour this particular obligation,†management said.
Termination of the sponsorship has also been prompted by corruption, match-fixing allegations, abandonment of matches that marred the just-ended season.
Nile Breweries expressed regret at the emergence of an unprofessional group of referees known as the “Arrow Group†in the league.
“This state of affairs has brought the league into disrepute and has adversely affected the image of Nile Breweries,†the statement said.
A probe committee was instituted to investigate the league chaos. The four-man team, headed by former defence state minister Steven Kavuma, handed in its report on Monday.
The probe recommended the dissolution of FUFA executive, disbandment of the general assembly and that a professional team be set up to manage the league, instead of National Football league Committee (NFLC).
The probe also advised that a commission be established to reorganise FUFA.
Norman Katende adds that National Council of Sports (NCS) and FUFA will both hold crisis meetings at different venues to discuss the probe report.
“We are going to meet tomorrow (today) and the main item on the agenda is the probe report,†said NCS acting general secretary Justine Ligyalingi.
FUFA suffered another blow yesterday after Nile Breweries terminated its sponsorship of the national soccer league.
Management of the brewing giants said in a statement that Uganda’s soccer governing body had failed to live up to the sponsorship agreement.
The move ends plans to sponsor until 2004-2005 season what was referred to as the Nile Special Super league (NSSL).
The company together with Shell, Coca Cola, BAT Uganda and telephone company MTN struck a sponsorship agreement with the old FUFA executive of Twaha Kakaire in 1998.
But MTN, Coca Cola and BAT pulled out of the deal last year citing FUFA’s unprofessional conduct.
Nile Breweries management said yesterday that consideration for the agreement was based on the assumption that FUFA would run the league professionally.
“It is, however, regrettable that FUFA has not in any respect endeavoured to honour this particular obligation,†management said.
Termination of the sponsorship has also been prompted by corruption, match-fixing allegations, abandonment of matches that marred the just-ended season.
Nile Breweries expressed regret at the emergence of an unprofessional group of referees known as the “Arrow Group†in the league.
“This state of affairs has brought the league into disrepute and has adversely affected the image of Nile Breweries,†the statement said.
A probe committee was instituted to investigate the league chaos. The four-man team, headed by former defence state minister Steven Kavuma, handed in its report on Monday.
The probe recommended the dissolution of FUFA executive, disbandment of the general assembly and that a professional team be set up to manage the league, instead of National Football league Committee (NFLC).
The probe also advised that a commission be established to reorganise FUFA.
Norman Katende adds that National Council of Sports (NCS) and FUFA will both hold crisis meetings at different venues to discuss the probe report.
“We are going to meet tomorrow (today) and the main item on the agenda is the probe report,†said NCS acting general secretary Justine Ligyalingi.