The wrangle between the Federation of Uganda Football Associations (Fufa) and reigning Uganda Premier League (UPL) champions Vipers SC is heading for explosion if not handled well.
This unwarranted war of words between the two entities reached the highest level when the Kitende-based side stuck to its guns and refused to play in the new league format. As expected, the Venoms missed Saturday’s `double header’ fixture against Kitara FC at Namboole stadium.
On October 2, Vipers supremo Dr Lawrence Mulindwa wrote a heavily-worded letter to Fufa CEO Edgar Watson, giving reasons why his team would not play in the current new league format. Also copied to Education and Sports minister, the National Council of Sports (NCS), and the UPL, among others, Dr Mulindwa accused the federation of disrespect.
“To our surprise and dismay and with utter disrespect, we have to date never received any formal response to the several pertinent issues raised in our petitions but have been met with social media and mainstream media ridicule, blackmail, rebuke and ostracisation due to our demand for legitimate answers to key issues affecting the sporting integrity of the league plus ou programming as an entity,” reads Mulindwa’s letter in part.
For starters, the local federation introduced a new league format starting this season. This was heavily rejected by the top-flight clubs, citing a couple of issues, including poor timing and lack of consultations, among others.
Originally, the majority of clubs were against the new format, but after several meetings between Fufa and the clubs, 13 of the 16 clubs accepted to play, but SC Villa, Vipers and NEC turned their backs against the new league format.
With time, however, both SC Villa and NEC joined the 13 teams and honoured their league fixtures, but Vipers refused to budge. Mulindwa swore to fight on, even if it means pulling out of football altogether.
EXPRESS FUFA SHOWDOWN
This is not the first time a top-flight club is taking on Fufa. In 1984, Express battled Fufa during a player-transfer exercise. It happened that Fufa had just amended the league rules to bar a club featuring in the Caf inter-club competitions from involuntarily losing a player during a transfer exercise.
The rule aimed at consolidating the squad depth of the country’s representatives on the continent. However, Express overlooked the rule and attempted to sign players from Uganda Cup winners SC Villa and league champions KCCA, Uganda’s representatives on the continent.
Some of the players who wanted to join Express included SC Villa’s Moses Ndaula, Rogers Nsubuga, Dan Lutalo and Joseph Kiwanuka as well as KCCA’s Charles Katumba and George Serunjogi.
An emergency meeting of representatives of the affected clubs was convened by NCS general secretary David Otti and its chairperson Patrick Masette Kuuya, who also doubled as minister of Rehabilitation.
It was resolved that all players who had already signed the Caf licences to play for both SC Villa and KCC were to remain in their respective clubs. In that meeting, SC Villa accepted to release Lutalo while KCCA also released Serunjogi to Express, but the Red Eagles wanted more players.
RADICAL DECISION
After failing to obtain all the players which they had wanted to sign, Express swore not to play in the 1984 league. Fufa moved fast and ordered Express to play or face the consequences.
Sensing danger, the Red Eagles accepted to play but boycotted matches against KCCA and SC Villa. So, the football league committee awarded KCCA and SC Villa points and goals, but this still did not change Express’ mind.
After the first round, Katumba and Nsubuga returned to their old clubs, but Ndaula and Kiwanuka decided to serve a one-year ban and remained at Express. In August, Express forfeited two more points and two goals after failing to turn up against KCCA, but this time, Fufa gave Express a last warning should they skip another league game.
On September 23, 1984, Fufa fixed the Express and SC Villa league game at Mukono Bishop ground. Thousands of fans stormed Mukono to see the action but Express was nowhere to be seen until five minutes to kick-off when the team crumbled and arrived.
Interestingly, Express went on to defeat SC Villa 2-1. So, the big question is whether Vipers can win this war, which the likes of Express failed to win some 41 years ago.
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