FUFA: Federation of Uganda Football Associations

Category: Press Releases

  • Cranes Coach Bobby Hails his players

    Cranes Head Coach Bobby Williamson has hailed his side for the result from Angola
    Cranes player Martin Mutumba in action i Angola

    Cranes Head Coach Bobby Williamson has hailed his side for being ‘determined on duty’, an effort that earned Uganda a vital point in the 2014 World Cup Qualifiers group opening fixture against Angola away in Luanda on Sunday.

    “The boys were focused and showed determination on duty. The point did not come by chance but as a result of hard work and team spirit” said a Scot tactician. Simba Sports Club player (Tanzania) Emmanuel Okwi netted an equalizer in the dying minutes of the second half to throw the game into a 1-all draw.

    Bobby however added, “It is not yet time to celebrate but keep working harder and correcting our mistakes”. Uganda hosts Senegal in the next encounter on Saturday in Mandela National Stadium-Namboole.

    This was the 5th time Uganda and Angola were meeting since 2008 with Uganda losing no game at home (3-1, 3-0) and registering a second draw (0-0, 1-1) away in Luanda. Angola has only beaten Uganda once on September 4 last year when they won 2-0 at home.

    Emmanuel Okwi becomes the first Cranes player to score a goal against Angola National side away in Luanda in the last 17 years. Uganda’s last goal had been scored by Robert Kizito in 1996. The Sunday result is a big boost for Uganda a head of their two back to back home games against Senegal (World Cup) and Congo (Afcon Qualifiers) on June 9th and 16th respectively.

  • Classic Cranes forces Angola into a draw

    Emmanuel Okwi scored Uganda's crucial away goal in Luanda on Sunday

    Emmanuel Okwi scored a crucial second half equalizer for the Uganda Cranes against hosts Angola in Luanda Sunday evening to earn Uganda a vital point in their first World Cup Qualifiers match. The game ended 1-1.

    Okwi also becomes the first Cranes player to score a goal against Angola National team away in Luanda within the past 17 years. Uganda’s last away goal in Angola had been scored by Robert Kizito in 1996.

    Like Uganda, Ethiopia was the other Cecafa Region Member country that picked a crucial point away from home. Ethiopia played South Africa to a 1-1 draw in Johannesburg City. Tanzania lost 2-0 in Cote D’Ivoire.

    Neighbours Kenya were held to a goalless draw by visiting Malawi while Sudan edged 2012 Afcon Champions Zambia 2-0 in Khartoum.

    Full Results on the Continent:

     Angola 1 Uganda 1

    Nigeria 1 Namibia 0

    Benin 1 Mali 0

    South Africa 1 Ethiopia 1

    Zimbabwe 0 Guinea 1

    Burkina Faso 0 Congo 0

    Senegal 3 Liberia 1

    Sudan 2 Zambia 0

    Tunisia 3 Equatorial Guinea 1

    Cote D’Ivoire 2 Tanzania 0

    Kenya 0 Malawi 0

    Ghana 7 Lesotho 0

    Gambia 1 Morocco 1

    Egypt 2 Mozambique 0

    Cameroon 1 DR Congo 0

    Central African Republic 2 Botswana 0

  • Determined Cranes lands safely in Luanda

    Fabian Kizito

    The Cranes team touched Angola at 10:15am (about 12:15 local time) with all the players and officials aboard the Kenya Airways reportedly in good health.

    Leader of delegation Sam Mpima was at the airport to receive them. The team was later driven to Mana-Lu Hotel where they were officially booked.

    This is the third time the Cranes team is playing Angola in Luanda since 2008. Four of the players who include Captain Andrew Mwesigwa, Mike Sserumaga, Dan Wagaluka and Masaba Simeon have played against the hosts in all matches.

    The same players plus Johnson Bagoole were however part of the team that forced a crucial goalless draw in Luanda on 23rd June 2008 during the World Cup Qualifiers match. Martin Kayongo Mutumba and Fabian Derrick Kizito stepped their first feet on the Angolan soil ready to write history.

    In total, the two nations have met four times in the last four years with Uganda wining twice at home and drawing once away. This puts Uganda in an advantaged position with 7 points and 6 goals from the four matches so far played against the hosts.  On 14th June 2008, the determined Cranes beat Angola 3-1 in Namboole before another humiliating 3-0 defeat on the same ground on 4th September 2010.

    The biggest win Angola has ever registered over Uganda within this period was a 2-0 win on 4th September 2011. Angola trails in this group of two nations with 4 points and only 3 goals from the four matches so far played. Kickoff is 4:00pm (6: pm Ugandan local time) on Sunday.  Who takes the day is all what we wait to see, in our favour!  

    Fabian Kizito is in Angola the first time

  • Facilities ready for Cranes in Angola

    Mpima Samuel is already in Angola to ensure a warm reception to our team

    When the Cranes contingent touches down at Angola International Airport on Friday afternoon they will feel at home with an expected warm welcome from our advanced party already in Luanda.

    Mpima Samuel, the leader of delegation who travelled to Luanda on Monday has confirmed that all was set to receive the team. The team will be accommodated at Mana-Lu Four stars Hotel with all the facilities necessary for the players in place.

    Estadio 22 De Juhno just adjacent the Hotel is the confirmed training ground for the Cranes. Our official on the ground has also taken trouble to discuss the menu details with the Hotel Management to avoid any short comings in feeding.

    Mpima together with the Angola Federation officials will be at the airport hours before the team lands.

    Meanwhile the thirteen remaining players who have not made it to Angola will be maintained in camp until the travelling team returns. Arrangements have been made for them to continue training under the command of the newly appointed assistant Coach Leo Adra in order to keep improving on their fitness levels.

    These include Geoffrey Massa, Brian Umony, Isaac Isinde, Mudde Musa, Sula Matovu, Ochaya, Abel Dhaira, Edward Ssali, Joseph Owino, Yasin Mugabi, Ali Kimera, Robert Ssentongo and Ceaser Okhuti. Bobby said all players were still very useful in this campaign and asked those staying to keep focussed.

  • Bobby Names final squad to ‘combat’ Angola

    Martin Kayongo Mutumba is Looking up for positive results in Luanda, Angola

    Cranes Scot tactician Bobby Roberts Williamson has this afternoon named his 18-man final squad that will fly out to Angola tomorrow morning for the World Cup Qualifiers match against the hosts.

    The final list has four home based players and 14 professionals to be commanded by team Captain Andy Mwesigwa (Kazakhstan). Hamza Muwonge (Bunamwaya) travels as the second choice goal keeper to Denis Onyango (South Africa) following his impressive performance during trainings and the late arrival of Abel Dhaira.

    Iguma Denis from newly promoted Super division side Victoria University FC is another home based player who has caught the eye of Bobby for the Sunday encounter. Bunamwaya’s Godffrey Walusimbi and Masaba Simeon (URA) will also be on flight.

    The list has the Sweden based AIK FC professional player Martin Kayongo Mutumba, Netherland’s Fabian Derrick Kizito, Johnson Bagoole (Rwanda), Emmanuel Okwi (Tanzania), Sserumaga Mike (Ethiopia), Hassan Wasswa (Turkey), Kalungi Henry(USA) and Ochan Patrick (DR Congo)

    Others are Kavuma Habib (Rwanda), Dan Wagaluka (Rwanda), Oloya Moses (-Vietnam) and Mawejje Tonny (Iceland). The team leaves Friday morning aboard Kenya Airways to Nairobi before connecting to Luanda.

    Full squad: Onyango Denis, Hamza Muwonge, Masaba Simeon, Iguma Denis, Mawejje Tonny, Mutumba Martin, Fabian Kizito, Bagoole Johnson, Walusimbi Godfrey, Oloya Moses, Okwi Emmanuel, Mwesigwa Andy, Sserumaga Mike, Kalungi Henry, Wasswa Hassan, Kavuma Habib, Wagaluka Dan and Ochan Patrick.

  • Ssendyowa to commission Kenya-Malawi match

    Ssendyowa is up the task to ensure a peaceful end of the Kenya-Malawi game this weekend in Nairobi with such charging fans of Harambee stars

    The international Football body FIFA, has appointed Abbas Ssendyowa to commission the Kenya-Malawi 2014 World Cup Qualifiers match due this weekend in Nairobi City.

    Kenyan Football Federation has given assurance that the game will peacefully go on un disrupted despite the recent suspected bomb blast that left tens injured in the City centre.

    Ssendyowa, a FUFA Executive member and retired referee is expected to fly to Nairobi this Thursday evening aboard Kenya Airways.

    As a commissioner Ssendyowa will have to do all it costs to avoid a repeat of what transpired in 2000 at Nyayo Stadium when the 2002 World Cup qualifiers game between the two nations was abandoned due to crowd trouble.

    Kenya and Malawi have met 35 times, 16 of which have been battles for the Cecafa Senior Challenge Cup. The last time the two nations played a competitive game was on September 4th 2004 at Moi Sports centre Kasarani where the hosts won 3-2.

  • FIFA approves Com-Unity Course for Uganda

    FIFA President Joseph S. Blatter

    FIFA President Joseph S. Blatter has approved a women Football Com-Unity course for Uganda to run in Kampala between July 10-13 this calendar year.

    The decision by the international football body has been received with a big applause from Uganda, a member association to FIFA. Ugandan FA Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Edgar Watson Ssuubi has described the development as being timely to the federation demands and more particularly to women football development.

    This is the first time a Com-Unity course is coming to Uganda since its inauguration by the FIFA President. Com-Unity is a FIFA presidential programme whose main purpose is to improve awareness of the value football can have in a country.

    The course is further intended to improve cooperation and communication between a member association, its Government, Non Governmental Organizations, the media and other partners. The programme also distributes knowledge on communication and marketing skills to help member associations attract partners and sponsors.

    FUFA CEO, Edgar Watson has said that the course in Uganda will mainly focus on women Football Development.  Participants will be drawn from Government, FUFA, sponsors, the media and NGOs relating with women football.

    An instructor from FIFA M/s Kelebogile Mosimanewapula is expected in Kampala next week to discuss and lay strategies for the success of this three day great seminar

  • Cranes Captain Andy Mwesigwa in Camp

    Team Captain Andy Mwesigwa (left) and teamate Martin Kayongo Mutumba in camp

    Cranes team captain Andy Mwesigwa is in the country and currently undergoing training with the rest of the teammates at Mandela National Stadium Namboole this morning.

    Mwesigwa landed in the night and as a ‘Field Commander’ he is focused on giving no chance to the opponents in Luanda on Sunday. Head Coach Bobby Williamson is expected to name his final squad after this training.

    A contingent of 18 players and seven officials will leave Entebbe International Airport Friday morning. Sam Mpima, who headed the federation advance party, is the designated leader of delegation.

    The team will catch up with him in Luanda International Airport, Friday afternoon.

    Meanwhile Tonny Mawejje and Abel Dhaira have also reportedly landed at Entebbe this morning and are expected in camp shortly.

  • Onyango Confident of stopping Angola

    Confident: Denis Onyango

    Cranes first choice custodian Dennis Onyango believes the Cranes must ignore the past failures to qualify for the Africa Cup of Nations finals or the World Cup and focus on the mission at hand.

    “It was painful to us as players and our fans when we failed to qualify last time. We don’t need to continue lamenting but focus on the current campaign, God will answer our players” said a visibly concerned Onyango.

    Onyango has promised to offer his best when granted an opportunity to stand between posts in Luanda on Sunday. There are all signs that Onyango will be Bobby’s first choice in goal and when this happens, the player will fight harder to avoid a humiliation by the Angolans. Last year, the Cranes lost 2-0 to Angola.

    He refuted claims that his irregular appearance for his side in South Africa would affect his performance against the hosts.

    The team flies out of the country Friday morning.

    (Report by Kenneth Muwanga).

     

  • Cranes Captain Andy Mwesigwa jets-in tonight

    Cranes Captain Andy Mwesigwa

    Ordabasy FC player in Kazakhstani Andy Mwesigwa arrives in the country this Tuesday night to assume his administrative responsibility as the ‘field commander’ of the Cranes team.

    The Team Captain will touch Entebbe International Airport at 1:05am just five hours before IBV FC players Tony Mawejje and goal keeper Abel Dhaira land at the same airport aboard Qatar Airlines.

    The Iceland based players have already been booked on Qatar Airlines and will be at Entebbe International Airport around 6:42am tomorrow morning.

    Captain Andy Mwesigwa has proved a good Commander after winning three Cecafa Senior Challenge Cup titles and one Regional Cecafa Club Championship as a captain. His arrival will be a big boast to the team that looks to be well positioned to earn Uganda some results.

    Head Coach Bobby Williamson will now have full board training sessions on Wednesday and Thursday before flying out his final selected squad to Luanda on Friday morning.

    Meanwhile, injured midfielder Musa Mudde is showing good recovery and was able to train with teammates in Mandela National Stadium Namboole today.

    In other developments, goalkeeper Denis Onyango and striker Moses Oloya have joined camp this afternoon.

  • USA based Henry Kalungi in Cranes Camp

    Henry Kalungi and Simeon Masaba in the training

    United States of America (USA) based professional player Henry Kalungi has arrived in the country to beef up the Cranes preparations a head of the 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil Qualifiers match against Angola.

    Kalungi landed last night and trained with the rest of the team this morning. The Cranes defender looked impressive on his first day.

    Meanwhile South African Based goalkeeper Denis Onyango and Vietnam’s Moses Oloya reportedly touched Entebbe international Airport in the morning and are expected in camp this afternoon.

    The duo may be part of the team to train in Namboole in the afternoon.

     

     

  • Mutumba, Fabian net for Cranes

    Fabian Derrick Kizito and Martin Kayongo Mutumba struck in either half as Cranes’ Head Coach Bobby Williamson closely looked on and supervised a trial match against the National U20 side on Monday afternoon.

    The game was partly organised to help Bobby try out different attacking options ahead of the World Cup Qualifiers game against Angola slated for June 3 in Luanda City.

    Mutumba and Kizito produced a good combination with quality individual positioning that saw each of them netting once. The Cranes third goal was scored by URA’s Robert Ssentongo while Alex Turilaba scored the Hippos consolation goal.

    The second pair had Emma Okwi and Robert Ssentongo coming in and Caesar Okhuti replacing Dan Wagaluka.

    It does not look an easy choice for Bobby to decide the starter between Okwi and Kizito as both players have exhibited quality performance. Okwi has however played more competitive games scoring twice for Simba SC in CAF Champions League matches. Mutumba looked composed and simply knew what to do and where to be at the right time.

    (Story filed by Kenneth Muwanga)

  • Bagoole coming Saturday morning

    Johnson Bagoole

    Our technical team has finally got in touch with APR player Johnson Bagoole currently in Kigali and he is expected in Kampala tomorrow morning.

    FUFA has also already notified the Rwandese Federation and his Club of APR FC over the developments of summoning him for National duty.

    Clearance from football authorities in Kigali where he plays professional soccer have also been obtained at our offices in Mengo.

    Bagoole flies to Entebbe Saturday morning aboard Rwanda Air and will be part of the team to resume training on Sunday morning.

     

     

  • Confirmed: Mutyaba out, Bagoole invited

    Bagoole (bending on the first row from the left) has landed an invitation to Cranes to join APR teammates Dan Wagaluka (right) and Habib Kavuma (standing at the behind row)

    It’s now officially confirmed that Cranes Midfielder and Al Merreikh player Mike Mutyaba is out and APR’s Johnson Bagoole is invited for the Cranes preparations a head of the crucial World Cup qualifiers game against Angola in Luanda on June 3.

    Reports emerging from Khartoum City indicate that Mutyaba sustained an injury that denies him a chance to play for his nation. Other sources are however skeptical in believing this information following the February experience.

    Al-Merreikh gave similar explanations about Mutyaba during an international friendly match against Egypt in Sudan on February 24 but reportedly fielded him in their match just days after Uganda had lost 2-1 to the Pharaohs.

    Head Coach Bobby Williamson has opted to summon Bagoole since Tonny Mawejje is also expected to join the team late around May 30. Former Sofapaka FC midfielder Mudde Musa is also out of the game due to an injury.

    By the time of writing this statement, the federation was still making all possible attempts to reach Bagoole but in vain. We are continuing doing so and we have also deployed contact persons in Kigali to trace him. Sweden based AIK FC player Martin Kayongo Mutumba arrives on Sunday to beef up the midfield department.

    Meanwhile Bobby has given the Cranes players a one day break this Saturday after five days of intensified practice. Training sessions resume on Sunday morning.

     

  • FUFA wins SOS Court Appeal

    Federation President Lawrence Mulindwa's has continued to trounce and register more court wins against the negative forces opposed to his leadership

    Lady Justice Jane Kigundu of the Criminal Division of the High Court in Kampala on Thursday 24th May 2012 dismissed the criminal revision appeal lodged by SOS.

    SOS, lead by Denis Mbidde and his colleagues in the background were challenging the ruling of the Buganda Road Chief Magistrate Sylivia Nabaggala who acquitted and freed the FUFA President Lawrence Mulindwa, the Chief Executive Officer Edgar Watson and the Chairman of the Federation Legal Committee Muhammed Bazirengende of criminal charges related to the alleged forgery of the Federation of Uganda Football Associations (FUFA) constitution.

    The High Court held that the application for review lodged in the High Court challenging part of the proceedings of the Chief Magistrate was prematurely brought before the High Court. Lady Justice Kigundu explained that the revision orders of the High Court are made in respect to final orders and judgments of Court and not interlocutory orders. .

    The learned Justice further held that the Chief Magistrate was right in dismissing the private criminal prosecution brought by Dennis Mbidde (SOS) because it was premised on an incurably defective affidavit and charge sheet which could have caused injustice to the accused if they were forced to take plea on a defective affidavit and charge sheet.

    The high court thus upheld the ruling of the Buganda Road court Chief Magistrate and dismissed the application for review lodged by the so called Save Our Soccer selfish group.
    FUFA was represented by Counsel Ochieng Evans and Luganda Alex while SOS had Mulema Mukasa and David Ssempala. FUFA has not lost any single Court case since the year begun and this is the third victory for the federation since January.

  • CAF Warns URA against more ‘boycotts’

    FUFA CEO Edgar Watson with CAF General Secretary Mr. Hisham shortly after their meeting in Budapest, Hungary

    The Confederation of African Football (CAF), a continental African football body has described URA’s exonerations from possible sanctions over their failure to play a return leg against Djoliba FC of Mali in the Orange Club Champions League as a ‘very rare incident’.

    CAF has termed URA FC as having been very lucky and hailed FUFA president Lawrence Mulindwa for the convincing defense he put up during the Inter Club organizing committee meeting held in Cairo on May 15 which CAF says, ‘converted many members to reverse the earlier proposed sanctions’.

    The comments were made by the CAF General Secretary Mr. Hisham during a meeting with the FUFA CEO, Edgar Watson in Budapest City, Hungary this Friday morning. Edgar thanked Hisham for accepting to reverse the decisions that left URA a club free from any punishments.

    URA FC which had lost 2-0 to visitors in Kampala did not travel for the return leg following the waves of insecurity in Mali. Both Ecowas and the Ugandan Government warned URA against flying into Mali despite the host’s continued emphasis that the ‘country was secure’. URA was headed for a three year ban from all CAF organized competitions, paying a fine of U$ 1500 and meeting the estimated costs Djoliba FC would have raised from the home match as gate collections

    Hisham warned URA against such incidents in future adding that a club walking off unpunished when fails to honour an engagement were very rare incidents in CAF.

  • FUFA CEO meets CAF President

    CEO Edgar Watson with the CAF President Isa Hayatou in Hungary

    The Ugandan delegation to Budapest City in Hungary reached safely on Wednesday morning. The delegation that travelled to represent Uganda in the FIFA annual congress has the Finance Vice President Anthony Kimuli, Youth Vice President Patrick Ogwel, the CEO Edgar Watson and the Cranes Doctor, Ronald Kisolo.

    The official FIFA congress opens this Thursday while the medical conference commenced Wednesday. Dr. Kisolo joined the rest of the medical delegates for the conference that will run for two days.

    Shortly after his arrival in Budapest, CEO Edgar Watson met with the CAF President Mr. Isa Hayatou and the two administrators held talks related to football development programs in Uganda. Hayatou sent greetings to the people of Uganda but more so to the football fans. The two met at Hotel sofitel near the Budapest Chain Bridge.

  • Massa out, Mudde doubtful, Okwi jets in

    L-R: Denis Guma, Geoffrey Massa and Cranes Captain Andrew Mwesigwa. Massa has been ruled out of the Angola game due to an injury

    The Cranes camp encountered a big setback Wednesday morning when striker Geoffrey Massa got ruled out of the crucial Angola game due to an injury.

    In a related development, former Sofapaka midfielder Musa Mudde did not also train with the rest of the team following a knock with another player.

    Speaking to the media Coach Bobby Williamson said Massa had earlier showed a sign of pain around the ankle, an indication that he had carried this injury from Cyprus where he plays professional football.  Massa’s situation worsened after the Tuesday training.

    Bobby however sounded confident of finding a possible replacement from the available strikers to fill the gap created by the injured Massa.

    The summoned strikers on the list include Fabian Kizito, Robert Ssentongo, Emmanuel Okwi, Brian Umonyi and Ceaser Okhuti. Okwi joined the team toady morning while Bunamwaya’s Okhuti displayed a tremendous form in today’s training.

    Meanwhile Hassan Wasswa is expected to fly back to Turkey to sign a new contract with his club, Kayseri Erciyesspor. He returns on Sunday.

    The camp will be boosted tomorrow with an anticipated arrival of Al-Merreikh player Mike Mutyaba.