The death of Justus Baguma, a successful entrepreneur in Dar es Salaam City, Tanzania leaves a big gap among the Ugandan community there but most importantly the sports fraternity!
JB as popularly known in Dar es Salaam owned a number of businesses in the East Africa’s biggest City which included the JB Belmont Hotel located on Benjamin Mkapa building within the City Centre.
His Hotel was a home for many Ugandans who always visited him and accorded them a comfortable reception at his hotel. On two occasions, JB hosted the Uganda Cranes team to wonderful receptions at the same premises and donated cash prizes to the players in 2010 and 2011.
JB Belmont Hotel that housed CECAFA official during most tournaments in Dar es Salaam
His hotel hosted the CECAFA officials during most of the regional football tournaments held there. CECAFA General Secretary Nicholas Mugisha said, ‘the region had lost a great man who loved football and spent towards its development’.
He never missed a single game that involved the Uganda Cranes in Dar es Salaam and sacrificed him own resources to purchase entry match tickets for fans to cheer up the team. Besides all these, JB was the chairman of the Ugandan community in Tanzania and annually organized parties for the students studying in different Universities there.
JB was a darling to many people but a great Cranes fan who will be missed forever. His body will be laid to rest at Kashari, Bushenyi district on Monday. Good bye JB!
Goalkeeper Abel Dhaira was a starter against Amavubi stars in Kigali on Wednesday afternoon.
Uganda National ‘A’ team, The Uganda Cranes has safely landed at Entebbe International Airport this Thursday morning on their way back from Kigali where they forced a draw against hosts Amavubi in an international friendly match, Wednesday afternoon.
The team touched Entebbe airport at 8:33am aboard Rwanda Air with all officials and players in good health. Speaking from Lapalisse Hotel earlier before setting off from Kigali, the leader of delegation Sam Lwere said the players’ performance was ‘so impressive’.
He commended the Head Coach Bobby Williamson for giving most of the travelling players a chance to test the opponents. The Scot tactician utilized 17 out of the 18 players that travelled with the team. There were six substitutes made.
The match ended 2-2 with Said Kyeyune and Dan Sserunkuuma netting for Uganda.
Gor Mahia Football club player, Dan Sserunkuuma registered his presence on the national team squad Wednesday afternoon by scoring the Crane’s second goal against Rwanda in the 66th minute during an international friendly match that finally ended 2-2.
Said Kyeyune took a lead in the 30th minute but the Cranes celebrations lasted only six minutes when Medi Kagere equalized. The first half that ended 1-1, saw Head Coach Bobby Williamson replacing Savio Kabugo with Kawooya Fahad and Tonny Odur going in for Brian Umony. The friendly match played on a FIFA international date had six substitutes as agreed upon in the pre-match meeting.
At kick off of the second half, goal keeper Hamza Muwonge took charge from Abel Dhaira, Joseph Mpande came in for Sserumaga Mike, Hamis Kiiza gave way for Feni Ali and Kavuma Willy went in for Hassan Wasswa.
Tonny Odur was instrumental in the second half with his efforts yielding results in the 82nd minute when he got fouled in the box to earn Uganda a lead through a well taken penalty by Gor Mahia striker Dan Sserunkuuma. The home boys did not however lose hope as they kept fighting until the 82nd minute when Papy Sibomana equalized to send the game into a 2-2 draw.
The match was officiated by Israel Mujuni, Hamis Changwalu and Jesse Erasmo all from Tanzania. The standby referee was Abobukar Nkejimana from Burundi. The Cranes team returns Thursday morning.
Cranes Line up: Abel Dhaira (Hamza Muwonge), Simeon Masaba, Kavuma Habib, Savio Kabugo (Kawooya Fahad), Guma Denis, Wasswa Hassan (Kavuma Willy), Sserunkuuma Dan 66’, Sserumaga Mike (Mpande Joseph), Kyeyune Said 30’, Umony Brian (Tonny Odur) and Hamis Kiiza (Feni Ali).
Rwanda: Jean Luc Ndayishimiye, Mbuyu Twite, Fabrice Twagizimana, Fredrick Ndaka, Michel Rusheshangoga [Patrick Umwungeli], Jean Baptista Mugiraneza, Haruna Niyonzima [Jessy Reinford], Jean Claude Iranzi [Papy Sibomana], Peter Kagabo [Jimmy Mbaraga], Medie Kagere and Tumaine Ntamuhanga [Aprodis Hategikimana].
The FUFA mid season transfers have seen a total of 83 players involved in the movements with Sports Club Victoria University dominating the exercise that lasted for 31 days of the month of January this year.
The University has shopped ten players followed by Victors FC (8), Aurum Roses (7), Express, Kiira Young, Proline FC and SC Villa with six (6) players each. Simba, KCC and Vipers have utilized 5 slots each while Police, URA, and Water have four new players in their possessions each.
Entebbe Young who are currently in the 5th position on the FUFA Super League table and Masaka FC have had only two players moving to their sides each. The official list as showed below has been released this Wednesday morning by the Federation Competitions Committee (FCC) Secretary, Decolas Kiiza.
Cranes striker Brian Umony in action against Senegal
The Uganda Cranes will travel to Kigali to play an international friendly match against hosts Amavubi on February 6.
FUFA is already in receipt of a confirmation letter from Kigali pertained to the same. February 6th is an official FIFA date for international friendly matches.
The match is organized to give the head coach Bobby Williamson an opportunity to try out the current status of the available players ahead of the World Cup Qualifiers engagements due in March.
Preparations are already underway to have the team start training over the weekend.
The Beach Soccer association has released a set of rules to govern the league as numbered below:
1. Each team consists of five players, including the goalkeeper. 5 Substitutes are named but the number of substitutions is unlimited and can happen at any time, regardless of the ball being in or out of play. The player who has been substituted can return to the pitch as a substitute to other player.
2. Athletes play barefoot or with a soft ankle protection. Shoes are not allowed.
3. Each match is divided in 3 periods of 12 minutes each with 3 minutes interval between each period. If the two teams are tied after regular time, a 3-minute extra time is played, without golden goal. If the draw remains, the teams play a penalty kick shootout to determine the winner. The penalties are taken in sudden death mode: the first team to open a lead after the same number of attempts as its opponent will be declared the winner.
4. There are no draws in beach soccer. A win in extra time or penalty kick shootout awards two points, as opposed to the three points awarded by a win in regular time of 36 minutes divided into 3 halves of 12 minutes each.
5. Four referees control the match: two inside the pitch and a third one outside, controlling the teams benches and time keeper managing all clock stoppages and restart during the match.
6. There are no walls in beach soccer. All free kicks are direct. There is no offside. The same player who suffers the foul is the one who takes the free kick.
7. Player who receives a red card is not allowed to re-enter the match. His team may substitute him after a lapse of 2 minutes.
8. A goal clearance (goal kick in football) must be taken by the goalkeeper with his hands. Throw-ins may be taken either with the hands or the foot (if by foot its called a kick-in). A corner kick is always taken with the foot and a goal may be scored directly from a corner kick. The Pitch is rectangular measuring length/touch line 35-37m and width goal line 26-28m. Boundary lines are marked by blue tape. Four Red flags demarcate boundary corner flags and two in middle divides the pitch into two halves. The four yellow flags demarcate the penalty area and stand 9m from goal line on the touch line.
All other lines demarcating half way of the pitch and penalty area are IMAGINARY.
FIFA Development Officer Assistant M/S Kelebogile Mose manewapula, FUFA Chief Executive Officer Edgar Watson and the Federation Vice President in charge of women football Chris Kalibbala in a meeting before Kelebogile flew out of Kampala.
FIFA Development Officer Assistant in charge of administration and events, M/S Kelebogile Mosimanewapula has this Friday morning returned to Gaborone after a three-day visit to Uganda to finalize arrangements for the FIFA Com Unity seminar scheduled to start on February 27.
During her stay in Kampala, Kelebogile met the targeted seminar presenters at the federation headquarters in Mengo, inspected Mandela National Stadium-Namboole and visited Imperial Royale Hotel where the three-day seminar will be hosted among other activities.
The seminar will bring together the host member association, the government, potential sponsors and members of the media among other sectors. Kelebogile said the arrangement was to assist FUFA in launching specific projects for women football where long term financial support was needed.
“This will assist FUFA with promotional strategies and actions in order to create awareness and attract support for the organization of women football” she said.
It is also aimed at promoting women’s football and attract investment/interest in the game from other sectors of the community outside the football family on top of promoting partnership between the football family and the government.
“The seminar will also equip FUFA with tools to market, promote and develop women football” Kelebogile further said.
FUFA CEO Edgar Watson said the seminar was timely and that close to 120 participants were expected including a few selected parliamentarians. The Hon. Munister of Sports Charles Bakabulindi will officially open the seminar in presence of the FUFA president Lawrence Mulindwa.
The topics to be covered will include women football strategy and development, grass root football development programs, impact of women football on social and educational development programs, the role of the media in women football development, communication strategy towards women football development and benefits for sponsors of women football among many others.
The seminar will close on March 2 with a girls’ festival at Namboole. Over 100 girls are expected to attend the activity aimed at displaying to the community that women football is played in Uganda.
Buganda Region Football Association (BRFA) this Sunday afternoon created and adopted the new statutes to be used in football governance within their jurisdiction.
The 21 delegates present kicked off the exercise with a resolution to constitute themselves into the first Buganda Regional General Assembly as a requirement under the new FUFA statutes.
FUFA senior Vice President in charge of Administration Eng. Moses Magogo was in attendance to guide the debate on behalf of the federation. The meeting took place at FUFA headquarters in Mengo. Below were some of the highlighted areas:
1. The geographical territory of jurisdiction of the region will include the 17 counties (Masaza) of Buganda Kingdom,( ie) Buvuma, Bugerere, Kyaggwe, Buruuli, Bulemeezi, Singo, Buwekula, Mawokota, Busiro, Gomba, Busujju, Butambaala, Buddu, Kabula, Mawogola, Ssese, Kooki and parts of Kyadoondo that are outside the Kampala City Council Authority (KCCA) demarcations.
2. BRFA shall have the Regional League clubs, players, women, youth, coaches and schools football associations as its ordinary members.
3. Bika Football Association (BFA) and Masaza Football Cup Organizing Committee (MCOC) were adopted as associate members of BRFA.
4. Each of the former four FUFA zones will have a delegate to the FUFA General Assembly but elected by BRFA assembly. The 5th delegate to be elected by all DFA representatives.
5. In a bid to separate powers, the assembly further resolved that:
(i) If a member is elected to the FUFA General Assembly, he automatically loses his administrative positions at the regional level if any.
(ii) The BRFA Executive committee members shall not hold a delegate’s position at the Regional level as it has been in the past.
6. The delegates to the FUFA General Assembly shall under article 30 (2d) of these statutes be tasked to address the annual regional General assembly on their performances. This will help the regional assembly evaluate individual performances of the six delegates to the FUFA assembly.
7. BRFA shall only convene an extra-ordinary Regional General assembly if 50% of its members make such a request in writing.
8. BRFA executive committee shall be composed of only nine (9) members who will include the chairperson, 1st Vice Chairperson, 2nd Vice chairperson representing Regional League clubs, 4 members drawn from the four former FUFA zones, one representative of the interest groups and one woman.
Meanwhile, the assembly echoed the need to split Buganda and create the second region, a move VP Moses Magogo said would have his personal support when brought before the next FUFA General Assembly.
FIFA Development Officer Ashford Mamelodi, FUFA president Lawrence Mulindwa and CAF executive Member Eng. Leodgar Tenga in Kampala last year during the FUFA statutes amendment exercise. The amendment exercise now goes down to regions and interest groups.
FUFA will this Sunday, January 13 2013 flag off the exercise of re-aligning association football on standard statutes among different members of the federation.
The exercise follows an adoption of amendments to the FUFA statutes on August 25 last year in which it’s a requirement that all member associations establish themselves in compliance with the provisions therein. The FUFA Executive committee has therefore directed that all FUFA Member associations amend and adopt their statutes accordingly and submit copies to the FUFA Executive committee not later than January 31st.
Regional Association Chairmen will convene the regional assemblies in their respective administrative units to carry out this exercise. These regional assemblies will be composed of the current DFA delegates within that region. Buganda, Eastern, Mid North and Kitara will convene their assemblies this Sunday while Western, West Nile and North East meet on January 19. Kampala Regional meeting is scheduled for January 20 at Lugogo Oasis.
FUFA will send a special delegate to each region to oversee the exercise. Eng. Moses Magogo goes to Buganda, Counsel Alex Luganda (Eastern), Edgar Watson (Kitara and West Nile), Letti Mike (Mid North), Magoola Issa (Western), Dr. Ogwel Patrick (North East) and Mpima Sam will be in Kampala Region.
Vice President Mujib Kasule will be in charge of the FUFA Super League clubs and the Big League elections whose adopted statutes must be availed to FUFA not later than the same date.
FUFA has also set January 25-27 as the dates for the special interest Groups that will include women, referees, coaches, players, beach soccer and the school football associations.
URA FC will need a new professional coach a head of their participation in the CAF IInter Club competitions
FUFA has sent URA FC Assistant Coach, Sadick Wassa to Cairo in Egypt to undergo a special training session for the acquisition of the CAF ‘C’ License.
The Federation decision followed the resignation of the club’s substantive head coach Alex Isabirye who had already trained and acquired this qualification.
URA FC is the country’s official representative in this year’s CAF Champions League and it’s mandatory that all participating clubs are coached by holders of a CAF ‘C’ License.
In order to avoid likely negative consequences by the continental body, FUFA acted faster to bridge the gap since it wasn’t clear how soon URA would effect their professional replacement.
In a related development, FUFA wishes to remind individual clubs in the FUFA Super League that their technical bench MUST be headed by a holder of the same coaching qualifications. A decision has already been taken to act against any club that contradicts this directive starting the second round of the ongoing season. The second round starts February 1. Below is the full list of 55 Coaches in Uganda that meet this CAF requirement.
Sam Timbe, Leo Adra, Richard Wasswa, Frank Anyau, Tom Lwanga, Mujib Kasule, Mike Mutebi, Paul Ssali, Jackson Mayanja, Moses Basena, Richard Makumbi, Hadijah Namuyanja, George Ssimwogerere, Sam Ssiimbwa, Steven Kiggundu, Edward Golola, Ibrahim Mugisha, Timothy Ayiekho, Edgar Watson and Vincent Lukyamuzi.
Kintu Paddy Isaac, Daniel Kiwanuka, Tabole Abdu, Kefa Kisala, Mawa Haruna, Christine Wanyama Nakibuuka, Mubiru Abdalla, Nkata Paul, Kaziba Edward, Byuma William, Nyiima Jackson, Nsimbe George William, SSali Tom and Mutyaba Joseph, Alex Gitta, Kyambadde Livingstone, Lutalo George William, Magala James, Ayiekho Charles Lukula and Lucha Mathew.
Others are Bogere Steven, Nankya Immaculate, Byekwaso Morley, Isabirye Alex Musongola, Mutyaba Joseph Harold, Mbalangu Hussein, LUbowa Asuman, Mugerwa Francis, Bisaso Shafiq, Ssebagala Frank, Onen Peter, Sinamakosa Zubedah, Lule Mathias, Namakoola Charles and Majidah Nantanda.
FUFA Super League clubs are advised to cross check the names of their technical staff against this official list.
Meanwhile the 29 coaches who sat for the CAF ‘C’ License course last year will receive their certificates from the Federation headquarters on Wednesday, January, 2013, 10:00am.
WAiswa Ali chairs the North-Eastern Region committee
The Federation of Uganda Football Associations (FUFA) has named eight Regional Referees Committees to oversee refereeing activities in these respective administrative units. The full committees are as follows:
1. Kampala Region: Ssegonga Mohammad (Chairman), Kalule John (Secretary), Tomusange Ali and Mawanda Haruna.
2. Buganda Region: Hajji Kamulegeya Yusuf (Chairman), Katabira Davis (Secretary), Kiberu Nathan, Kiwanuka Edrisa and Katumba GW.
3. Eastern Region: Waisswa Ajab (Chairman), Wanyama Fredrick (Secretary), Ssemakula Abdallah, Kityo Asuman and Walangalira Ajab.
4. North Eastern Region: Waiswa Ali (chairman), Kebba Haruna (Secretary), Egesa Samuel and D. Oyuki.
5. Western Region: Ssendyowa Abbas (Chairman), Bakutana John (Secretary), Tom Mukasa, Turyagyena Jackson and Murisho Juma.
6. Northern Region: Egwel (chairman), Ojwee Denis (Secretary), Allan Leo and Adupa Agena.
7. West Nile Region: Aswa Luke (Chairman), Ayub Khamis (Secretary), Nyaku Jackson and Aluma Habib.
8. Kitara Region: Kabwibukya (Chairman), Kiperniro Kenneth (secretary), Mpangire Haruna, Kabaijo Fred, Kapere and Basisa Hassan. These committees will operate under the FUFA Referees Standing Committee (FRSC).
African champions Zambia suffered a third consecutive friendly defeat when they lost 2-0 to fellow qualifiers Angola last Saturday in a 2013 Africa Cup of Nations warm-up. Striker Geraldo, who plays for Brazilian second-tier club Parana, opened the scoring after eight minutes at Dobsonville Stadium and defender Amaro from Primeiro Agosto added a second five minutes from time.
Zambian FA leader, Kalushya Bwalya
Zambia, who begun the defence of the title on January 21 against Ethiopia in north-eastern South African city Nelspruit, lost away to Saudi Arabia and Tanzania last month. But the losses will not unduly concern 44-year-old French coach Herve Renard as Zambia also posted poor warm-up results before winning the Cup of Nations for the first time with a penalty shootout victory over favourites Ivory Coast. Chipolopolo have three more friendlies lined up against Morocco, Norway and Namibia before facing Group C rivals Ethiopia, Nigeria and Burkina Faso.
Angola, whose Group A opponents will be South Africa, Morocco and the Cape Verde Islands, are on a roll under Uruguayan coach Gustavo Ferrin as this was a third win in a row after home successes against Rwanda and Cameroon.
I welcome you all to this End of the Year Press Conference and I hope we all had a wonderful Christmas. I thank God for helping us all complete 2012 peacefully and hope the New Year 2013 will be much better.
FUFA has registered achievements and challenges in 2012 which will guide our assignment in 2013. Below are some of the achievements:
1.Statutes amendment:
Ugandan FA President: Lawrence Mulindwa
With consultation and guidance from FIFA, CAF and CECAFA, we have been able to put in place a new FUFA amended constitution which was officially endorsed by the General Assembly on August 25th, 2012 at Pope Paul Memorial Hotel. The new statutes will help address any football related challenges that affected football in the past.
2.FUFA-Govt. relationship:
We have maintained a cordial working relationship with the central government throughout the year. We are grateful to the Minister of Education and sports Hon. Jessica Alupo, the State Minister for Sports Hon. Charles Bakabulindi and the National Council of Sports (NCS) among others, who have stood by our side
(2b) Uganda Olympic Committee
Despite the challenges within the Uganda Olympic Committee, FUFA has had a good working relationship in which a course for elite coaches that was held in Makerere University was secured under the Olympic solidarity arrangement.
3.CAF President’s visit:
We invited and hosted the CAF President, Dr. Issa Hayatou from November 23 to 25. We are optimistic that his three day visit to Uganda will bear fruits starting this coming New Year. During his visit, Hayatou was able to hold talks with the FUFA Executive Committee and met H.E the Vice President of Uganda, Edward Kiwanuka Sekandi among other activities.
4.FUFA Super League:
The amendment of the statutes of the top tier league created the ‘FUFA Super League’ which is on running with 16 clubs. The participating clubs instituted an independent board to manage it and it’s already operational. Their offices are located at Green Land Towers in Kampala City Centre. The 16 FUFA Super League clubs are now individually direct FUFA members.
5.CECAFA-Tusker Cup:
We successfully hosted the 36th edition of the CECAFA Senior Challenge Cup (CECAFA Tusker Cup 2012) and emerged champions after edging archrivals Kenya 2-1 in the finals. This was Uganda’s 13th CECAFA title since 1973 and the 4th win in the same competition since we assumed offices on 17th December 2005. Uganda produced the tournament’s top scorer (Robert Sentongo), best player (Brian Omony) and the best Goal Keeper (Hamza Muwonge).
6.Stand-by Generator
We conclude this year with a modern standby generator, fully installed at our headquarters in Mengo. The 70KV generator was a donation from our partners-National Insurance Corporation (NIC). We are grateful to them for this kind donation.
7.License Plus FIFA donation
FUFA has installed a fully connected automated player registration and licensing soft ware (‘License +) which will be fully operational starting the 2013/2014 season. This soft ware is the first of its kind in Africa and will simplify our operations in the players’ registration exercise. We are grateful to FIFA for facilitating this process
8.Cranes show against Zambia
Although Uganda failed to qualify for the AFCON 2013 finals due in South Africa early next year, the Cranes had a good performance against continental champions Zambia. The Cranes’ 1-0 victory in the normal time is partly the reason for our most recent 86th position in the FIFA Coca Cola rankings. Cranes is now a big brand which should be generously protected by all of us.
9.World Cup 2014 campaign
We wind up the year with 2 points from two matches so far played after forcing a crucial draw against Angola in Luanda and resisting a defeat against Senegal in Kampala. We are left with 4 matches, two of which are home engagements against Angola and Liberia. Cranes will play Liberia and Senegal away. The current table standing gives us equal opportunities to advance to the next stage.
10. CAF License ‘C’ Course:
We conducted a CAF License ‘C’ course for Super Division and a few FUFA Big League club coaches. This was a CAF requirement and out of the 39 participants, 28 obtained the required pass mark for the award of the CAF License C.
11.Youth Football:
The Hippos (U20) competitively participated in the CAF Africa U20 Championship ejecting Mozambique and losing narrowly to African Youth champions Ghana.
12.Competitions Committee
All Leagues in the country were successfully concluded within the stipulated time of 30th June. We successfully organized the Bell Uganda Cup and for the first time, we had the finals held out of Kampala in Pece Stadium, Gulu district.
The Club Licensing process was successfully undertaken and concluded putting Uganda among the few compliant member associations as per CAF requirement.
All the basic sets of rules have been formulated and approved ; namely: The Club Licensing Regulations; Rules on the Status and Transfer of Players; The FUFA Super League Rules and The FUFA Big League Rules.
13.Women football.
FUFA organized several women football activities across the country geared towards developing women football further. Liser Berg, a woman Technical Consultant from USA continues to help the federation promote football development. A course for female coaches was conducted in January with 38 participants.
Kawempe Muslim School won the girls overall football trophy at the East and Central Africa Secondary Schools Championships held in Burundi in August 2012.
14.Media Relations:
We have been able to hold our weekly press conferences throughout the year. We commend the members of the press for positive and timely reporting of FUFA/Football activities.
15.FUFA-Airtel Rising Stars
FUFA partnered with Airtel to hold the U-16 Airtel Rising stars tournament for boys and girls in all regions, with the finals taking place in Jinja.
16.Discovered new talent for national team
Several players featured for the Cranes in the WC/AFCON qualifiers, international friendlies and CECAFA and impressed our technical team. Some of the exceptional talent we discovered includes Godfrey Baba Kizito, Joseph Ochaya, Robert Sentongo, Saidi Kyeyune, Nicholas Wadada and Moses Oloya.
17. Beach Soccer:
FUFA in partnership with Uganda Beach Soccer Clubs Association successfully organized the first fully fledged beach soccer clubs League, corporate league, women tournament and the inter University competition.
18. MTN-FUFA inter region competition
With sponsorship from MTN, FUFA held a successful inter regional competition in Arua where Eastern emerged champions. FUFA appreciates the continued support from MTN and we are optimistic that this partnership will continue to tap new talents from the grassroot.
Key Challenges encountered:
Despite the enormous efforts put in to ensure qualification to Afcon 2013 finals, we narrowly failed to qualify. The limited funding of football activities was yet another leading challenge.
We commend the founders of Uganda Cranes Initiative for appreciating the challenges FUFA has been facing especially in regard to funding our national team by subsequently launching a cash drive through the UCI.
We thank UCI for all the support they extended to our victorious CECAFA team and we will continue to work hand in hand.
To all our sponsors, we are grateful for the support extended towards football activities in the country. MTN
I also wish to thank in a very special way the football fans in this country for the support showed throughout the year.
Our focus in 2013:
FUFA will be looking to consolidating our registered achievements in 2012 as we scale up new heights. The immediate targets include:
Ensuring successful 2014 World Cup qualifiers by preparing Cranes well.
Maintaining a good working relationship with FIFA, CAF, CECAFA, government and our sponsors.
Organizing international friendly matches for our national team.
Solicit sponsorship for the FUFA Super League, Big League, FUFA Regional leagues, beach soccer league, women league and other football activities.
Implement the new constitution and finalize the process of creating new statutes for regional and lower levels.
Assemble a competitive team of locally based players to participate in the CAF organized CHAN competition.
Continue working towards unity among all stake holders for purposeful intentions related to football development.
Conduct free and fair elections at all levels later in the New Year.
Organize more courses in areas of refereeing, coaching youth coaching and administration among others.
Promote and develop further women football.
Engage the underage teams into preparatory matches.
Keep up our supervisory role in all association football related matters.
Maintain the culture of holding FUFA weekly press conferences for purposes of information dissemination and accountability.
Strengthening the FUFA Secretariat by appointing Competitions Director, Commercial Director and Director Finance, among others.
Further promote beach soccer.
Conclusion:
The Year 2013 will require a continued collective effort from all stakeholders. Football must be put at the helm and we work towards its consolidation and development.
Those opposed to our leadership must start preparing for the elections due in 2013 other than wasting resources in useless court battles.
FUFA will continue to resist any selfish acts that contradict association football rules in this New Year. We will enforce the FUFA Constitution to the latter.
Uganda Cranes takes on their arch-rivals Harambee Stars of Kenya in the anticipated thrilling finals of this year’s Cecafa-Tusker Cup this evening at Mandela National Stadium, Namboole.
The two sides played the official opening match of the tournament on Nov ember 24 with Uganda Cranes edging the visitors 1-0. Kenya struggled into the finals after dumping Zanzibar 4-2 on spot kicks. Their normal time had ended 2-2.
Uganda Cranes goes into today’s finals with an advantage record of having conceded no goal against the eleven the team has scored in five games they have so far played.
Uganda opened up their title campaign with a 1-0 victory over Kenya, edged Ethiopia on the same margin before walloping South Sudan 4-0 in their last group stage match. In the Quarter finals, the hosts still played Ethiopia as second best losers who conceded 2 unanswered goals.
Next in their way was Tanzania who also failed to match the Cranes performance when they lost 3-0 in the semi finals. Tanzania now plays Zanzibar in their third place match to decide the winner of the USD 10.000 prize.
The Uganda-Kenya game will be played at 6:00pm. Thiery Nkurunziza (Burundi) will be the centre referee assisted by Mussie Kinde (Ethiopia) and Mohamad Idam (Sudan). The standby referee is Mohamed El Fadil from Sudan and Tariq Atta (Sudan) is the match commissioner.
The winner walks away with a cash prize of USD 30.000 with another USD 20.000 going to the losing team. The tournament is sponsored by East African Breweries limited (EABL) through Tusker, one of their favourite brands.
In 2009, Kenya lost to Uganda 1-0 in the finals of the same tournament.
Team Captain Hassan Wasswa celebrates one of the Cranes’ goals in the tournament with teammate Brian Umony. Uganda beat Ethipia 2-0 to storm the semi finals of this year’s Cecafa-Tusker Cup.
UGANDA and Kenya stormed into the semi-finals of the 2012 Cecafa Tusker Challenge Cup with entertaining football under fine conditions at the Nelson Mandela National Stadium, Namboole on Tuesday.
They now join Zanzibar and Tanzania Mainland — qualifiers from Monday’s quarter-finals at Lugogo Ground — for the semi-finals at Namboole on Thursday.
Kenya edged Malawi 1-0 via a brilliantly headed goal by veteran striker Mike Baraza from a sublime long pass on the left flank by Harambee Stars full-back Abdallah Juma.
Geoffrey Kizito and Robert Ssentongo smacked the ball into the Ethiopian goal on either side of half time to give the defending champion Cranes an emphatic 2-0 over Ethiopia, the only nation in the Cecafa region who will be attending the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations finals in South Africa next January.
The Challenge Cup semis will, therefore, be a rare all-East African affair, the original members of the competition — Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania and Zanzibar — having a contest reminiscent of the days they battled for the then Gossage Cup.FUFA President Lawrence Mulindwa watched both semi finals.
Started in 1926 as an annual battle between Kenyan and Uganda, the Gossage Cup was forerunner to the Challenge Cup, the longest running competition in Africa.
Currently, 12 nations are members of Cecafa, an acronym for Council of East and Central Africa Football Associations.
This year’s competition was launched by Dr Issa Hayatou, the Cameroonian Africa football boss and CAF President.
Moses Oloya in action against Ethiopia. Cranes won 1-0 to book a slot into the quarter finals
Nov. 28: Somalia Vs Sudan (Free to all)
Nov. 28: Tanzania Vs Burundi (Free to all)
Nov. 29: Malawi Vs Eritrea (Free to all)
Nov. 29: Rwanda Vs Zanzibar (Free to all)
Nov. 30: Kenya Vs Ethiopia (Only free to women)
Nov. 30: South Sudan Vs Uganda (Only free to women)
Dec. 01: Sudan Vs Burundi (Free)
Dec. 01: Somalia Vs Tanzania (Free)
Dec. 01: Malawi Vs Zanzibar (Free to all)
Dec. 01: Eritrea Vs Rwanda (Free to all)
A joint announcement from FUFA, Cecafa and EABL has confirmed this Wednesday morning that fans will have a free entrance into Mandela National Stadium to watch eight of the ongoing Cecafa-Tusker Cup matches.
The resolution followed an administrative meeting attended by the FUFA president Lawrence Mulindwa, EABL Managing Director Alasdair Musselwhite and Cecafa General Secretary Nicholas Musonye on Tuesday. Eng. Moses Magogo the chairman of the Local Organizing Committee and CEO Edgar Watson were among other participants.
The decision was intended to give the fans a bonus in recognition of their continued support of football in the region. It was further resolved that for the Cranes match day on Friday (Kenya Vs Ethiopia and South Sudan Vs Uganda), women will still have watch the two games free as men part with only UGX 5000 and UGX 20.000 for the open stands and the pavilion respectively.
With 18 matches remaining Uganda soccer fans have much more to look forward to hosting East Africa’s most prestigious soccer tournament-CECAFA TUSKER CUP.
Brian Umony scored the cranes’ sole goal against Ethiopia to push Uganda into the quarter finals of this year’s Cecafa-Tusker Cup.
The Uganda Cranes on Tuesday afternoon became the first team ‘A’ in the region to qualify for this year’s Cecafa-Tusker Cup quarter finals after registering a second consecutive win.
The Cranes edged Ethiopia 1-0 in their second group stage fixture to go top of the table. KCCA FC player Brian Umony netted the Cranes’ sole goal in the first half of the game. Earlier in the day, Kenya had beaten South Sudan 2-0 to create themselves chances of qualifying into the knock-out stages.
Coach Bobby Williamson hailed his boys describing their performance as having been very good despite the slim win. His counterpart confessed, he had played a brilliant side. Ethiopia is the only country in the Cecafa region that qualified to play in the finals of the Africa Cup of Nations.
Uganda now has six points with one game at hand against South Sudan. Kenya is placed in the second position with 3 points and 2 goals ahead of Ethiopia with 3pts and one goal. South Sudan has so far lost all its first two games.
The Uganda Cranes beat bitter rivals Kenya 1-0 on Saturday in their opening game of the 2012 Cecafa-Tusker Cup going on here in Kampala.
In the earlier played game, Ethiopia edged South Sudan by the same margin at Nelson Mandela National Stadium in Namboole, Kampala.African Football Confederation [CAF] President Dr Issa Hayatou was chief guest during the Group ‘A’ encounters in which Kenya suffered a dent to their hopes of coming out of the pool as quarter finalists.
Uganda and Ethiopia, straight away became hot favourites to proceed while Kenya and debutants South Sudan threatened with early elimination.Geoffrey Kizito scored for Uganda in the 73rd minute to crown the Cranes’ clear dominance during the entire match.
Harambee Stars poorly defended a free kick taken by Dennis Iguma from outside the box on the right flank. Kizito struck from close range past a helpless Duncan Ochieng’.While Kenya ought to have equalised at the death when a long throw-in by Enoch Agwanda dropped on the goal line and was twice knocked by Kenyan legs but mysteriously did not cross, they were largely outplayed by the Cranes who were superior in ball control and movement.
Kenya had to make one forced change to the line-up announced hours to the match as striker Mike Baraza exited with sickness to be replaced by Ramadhan Salim. After a quarter of an hour, all the running was being done by the Cranes and Brian Umony, Kizito, Moses Oloya and striker Emmanuel Okwi had the Harambee Stars furiously defending.
The Kenyan attack had no natural striker deployed and the diminutive Salim was at the front of converted midfielders picked to play the role. The support of Humphrey Mieno, Clifton Miheso and Anthony “Muki” Kimani completely lacked bite.
It had been a 6pm kick-off and when teams returned to the pitch after the first half, a power black-out hit a section of the stadium and it was 10 minutes before the lights went on again.
Uganda showed no slow-down effect after the interruption but Harambee Stars almost hit them with a good counter-attack move initiated by substitute Paul Were which almost resulted into a Kenyan lead.
But in diving at the feet to cut off the final ball, Cranes ‘keeper Abbey Dhaira was badly injured. After writhing with pain on the pitch, he was replaced by Hamza Muwonge but still looked in deep distress during a doctor’s attention on the touchline and was then rushed to hospital in an ambulance.
After Uganda’s goal, Kevin Omondi split the Cranes’ defence for a ball into the box for Mieno who should have had a better effort in connecting for a decent shot at goal.
Kenyans showed some cutting edge in the final 10 minutes but a relaxed Uganda defence effectively saw off the period.TEAMS:
UGANDA – 1. Abbey Dhaira (18. Hamza Muwonge, 60’): 16. Hassan Waswa (captain), 6. Dennis Iguma, 15. Geoffrey Walusimbi, 4. Henry Kalungi, 5. Isaac Isinde, 13. Moses Oloya, 3. Geoffrey Kizito, 7. Emmanuel Okwi, 10. Brian Umony (9. Robert Sentongo, 90’), 11. Hamisi Kiiza
