Kampala, Uganda – The Accountant General in the finance ministry has advised against Government funding FUFA/FUFA Limited following the Solicitor General’s opinion that the entity is operating illegally.
Education and Sports minister Jessica Alupo made the remarks last week while appearing before the education committee of parliament over a recent petition by the Uganda Footballers’ Association that called on Government to suspend all dealings with FUFA Limited.
She added that “regulations need to be issued in order to comply with the Solicitor General’s advice and the Constitutional Court Order that restrained them from recognising FUFA Limited as the national association”.
During a meeting with the Committee, FUFA President Moses Magogo irked the legislators when he said that FUFA listening to complaints of non-members, like members of the public is just out of courtesy, and not an obligation.
He is quoted by the media to have told the MPs that “FUFA’s membership is by association” and since, as far as he is concerned the petitioners are not members of FUFA, they have no ground to challenge the decisions taken by those with a stake in FUFA.
“For the record, FUFA is a membership based organization and as such the management of its affairs is fundamentally a preserve of its members as enshrined in its constitution and not for all members of the public to determine how the affairs of the federation are run,” the former FUFA Competitions Committee boss said, spawning sharp response from legislators.
MPs on the Educations and Sports committee contend that such arrogance cannot generate consensus needed to diffuse wrangles in football, which has seen some people petition parliament and overnment, while others have taken the matters to court for adjudication.
Education Minister Alupo said that she was due to meet the Prime Minister, Amama Mbabazi so as to come up with a final position on the nature of registration recommended for national sports associations, and advise the Solicitor General accordingly.
“Government needs to inform the football stakeholders and the public at large on the legal status of FUFA/ FUFA Ltd to diffuse their anxiety, uncertainty, divisions, petitions and quarrels among football stakeholders that have dogged football administration in the past few years,” she stated.
As usual the FUFA President played their usual card, sending out that chilly message that these interferences could lead to a FIFA – World Soccer governing body – banning Uganda from international competitions.
