Uganda/Guinea Bissau: Fufa Stranded Ahead of Guinea Bissau Trip

Andrew Mwanguhya

16 March 2011

Kampala — The story that is Uganda at every Nations Cup qualifiers surfaces again. And it’s been the case for as long as anyone would permit their memory backwards.

And as it turns out, Uganda, who top group J with four points from two games, risk not playing their away qualifier in Guinea Bissau because there’s no money to facilitate the trip.

The federation’s finance boss Anthony Kimuli yesterday made a last ditch attempt to rescue what could turn out to be a serious embarrassment to the nation if the team, who he says need at least $75, 000 (Shs182m), do not travel.

Kimuli dashed to the Uganda Sports Press Assembly monthly meeting at Lugogo and asked the scribes to help deliver his pleas to the public, especially to President Museveni. “We call upon the President to come to our rescue,” he said, “We congratulate him upon his re-election and ask him to help get us with this money.

“Not only the president but also every Ugandan and well wishers because this is not Fufa’s team, it is the Uganda team.

“We need over $75, 000 to take the team to Bissau and as we speak, we only have $8, 000 (Shs19m) on our account, which is also meant for the youth (U-21) team.”

Broke ministry

Fufa wrote to the National Council of Sports on January 3 this year reminding them of their earlier dispatched budget for the trip. But after a meeting with the education and sports ministry undersecretary Aggrey Kibenge last Thursday, Kimuli says, Fufa were advised to look for plan B because the “ministry had no money”. He adds that of the $75, 000 required, over $50, 000 (Shs121m) is for air tickets and the other for player allowances and training. The Cranes are scheduled to travel on Monday.

Now Fufa look resigned to the President’s favour as the only hope. President Museveni, whose pledge for the Cranes bus was fulfilled last year, is on record saying education and health are his priorities though he acknowledges sports.

But if the President spent about $75, 000 – the same amount needed for this trip – on artiste Bebe Cool’s treatment in the US and shs100m on athlete Moses Kipsiro’s party last year, may be this could become a priority this time round.

And then one wonders, what does the Shs1.4b deal Fufa signed with MTN last year, Cranes ‘official sponsors’, do?

Meanwhile, Joseph Owino and goalkeeper Posnet Omwony have been ruled out of the trip with injuries.

Nations Cup qualifier

March 26

Guinea Bissau v Uganda

Lino Correia Stadium

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