A report about the formation of a parallel body to manage football in Uganda has attracted the wrath of players, fans as well as club officials in Gulu.
They say the development has plunged them into confusion about who is officially in charge of regulating and organizing the sport.
There have been reports in the media that Godfrey Kwizera, a former aspirant for the president of the Federation of Uganda football Association was last Thursday elected head of another body also calling itself FUFA at a meeting in Wandegeya.
As a result, some football fans, players and even club managers say they have been left confused by the development. Ivan Okidi, a footballer with Northern City FC in Gulu says that he is confused by the fact that there are two federations claiming to manage the sport in Uganda. He wonders which of the two he should pay his allegiance to.
Richard Opira, the spokesperson of newly promoted Super League team, Gulu United says he is equally dumbfounded at the development. Opira however says that he hopes the matter is cleared soon enough to avoid interfering with their preparation for the new season, which is expected to open next month.
To thwart the fears, Patrick Ogwel, the FUFA vice president has described the Kwizera group as illegal. He added that FUFA, headed by Lawrence Mulindwa is recognized by the government and FIFA, the world football governing body as the only legal entity to run football in Uganda. He warned that the Kwizera faction could be dragged to court for their action.
Kwizera on his part says they formed the new group because FUFA was being run as a private business following the registration of the body recently as a company.
But the Mulindwa administration has denied the accusation. Ogwel explained that the registration of FUFA as a company was a result of an advice by FIFA. He added that the confusion would be resolved during the FUFA general assembly this Friday.
