Football teams in Kabarole have threatened to pull out of the mini Super League after the tournament was shifted to Mbarara under unclear circumstances.
During last year’s Federation of Uganda Football Association (FUFA) general assembly, Fort Portal was selected to host the tournament which will begin on June 6th to July 2nd.
The zones supposed to take part in the tournament are Zone 5 comprising of teams from Masindi and Hoima, Zone 11 from Kabarole, Kasese, Bundibugyo, Kyenjojo and Kamwenge and Zone 6 comprising teams from the Ankole region.
The winner of the tournament will represent Western Uganda in the National Super League. However on Saturday, teams from Zone 11 and 5 were informed that the tournament has been shifted to Mbarara.
This irked the teams that had planned to travel to Fort Portal. Michael Wandera, the vice chairperson Zone 11 says that they were not consulted before the decision to transfer the tournament was reached.
Wandera says that some teams can’t afford to spend one month in Mbarara because of the costs required like transport, accommodation and meals because they are financed by individuals.
//Cue in: “there are so many implications…”
Cue out: “…our only source of income.”//
David Mpara, the manager Njara Football Club, which is supposed to take part in the tournament says that they had budgeted for only costs in Fort Portal and not Mbarara.
Mpara wants FUFA to meet the extra costs because the venue was shifted abruptly.
But Moses Mugisha, the chairperson of the western zonal mini league says that Kabarole district failed to beat the deadline of paying the hosting fees of 1,000,000 shillings.
Michael Sabiiti, chairperson Kabarole district football association says that the delay was caused by failure to get the resources. He says that western zonal mini leaguer should have been considerate because Kabarole had geared up to host the tournament.
