Maroons rally to beat Express
Maroons came from a goal down to beat defending Bell Super League champions Express 2-1 at Namboole on Friday as the new season kicked off amidst confusion in local football.
Francis Aloo put Express ahead in the 33rd minute as the Red Eagles went into recess 1-0 up but Peter Otai and a Patrick Kaddu late penalty in the second half ensured Asaph Mwebaze’s Maroons won their opening game.
This was the first of the two games on the day with SC Villa edging Masaka later in the evening.
Uncertainly hung on the eve of the kick-off after State Minister for Sports Charles Bakkabulindi threw his weight behind Lawrence Mulindwa’s Fufa, which apparently withdrew powers to run the league from the Uganda Super League (USL).
But a Fufa interim committee led by SC Villa chairperson Fred Muwema was set up by some topflight clubs challenging the legality of the Mulindwa executive.
They claim the transition article 85 in the passed new constitution did not give Mulindwa and his executive power to stay in office until next year’s elections.
Fufa did later release a new constitution showing that clauses 2 and 3 of Article 85 indeed allowed them to stay in office until next October.
But Muwema and group argued that the said articles had been smuggled into the final copy of the constitution and that delegates neither proposed nor debated them, hence the old executive’s illegitimacy.
Muwema and group have since insisted that they, the 16 clubs fully constituted members of Fufa, are the rightful office bearers until elections next year.
On top of petitioning the Sports Minister regarding the legitimacy of Mulindwa and his executive staying in office, they insist the USL is running under Fufa and Fifa rules although Fufa maintain the new entity - Fufa Super League (FSL) - are the legitimate body to run the league.
So the USL indeed kicked off on Friday, with the FSL also set to kick off on September 25, meaning the country could have two parallel leagues, something that could attract a Fifa ban.
The above notwithstanding, Maroons coach Mwebaze was impressed by his boys’ performance, who were losing the game until the dying minutes.
“Our preseason work seems to have paid off in this game,” said Mwebaze, adding, “Express were just defending their lead but once we got one back, they were on the back foot and we soon got a winner.”
Ibrahim Buwembo, who was in charge since Moses Basena has taken a sabbatical until opposing factions in the club are harmonised, was encouraged by his side.
“This is just the start,” he said, adding, “But I’m confident with the players I have and support from the bosses, we shall improve.”
