Uganda footballers are pushing for an association to protect their rights and defend them in their career as football players.
Some players have complained of football clubs cheating them of their money after agreeing to play without formal contracts that fail to meet their demands.
Edgar Luzige, a former Express FC player also claims one of the reasons he left for Bunamwaya football club was lack of a formal contract despite playing many games for the club in the starting line up.
He says despite getting his salary and allowances he has lived a stressful career of uncertainty at his former club.
Musa Walangalila also says he was cheated while playing for Iganga municipal council.
Before signing a football for Iganga in 2009 he was told he would be given accommodation, transport and feeding allowances in addition to his salary but he did not receive the money apart from an initial signing fee of shillings 500,000/-.
Andy Mwesigwa, Uganda Cranes defender who plays professional football for FC Odarbasy in Karzakistan, also faced the same problem while playing for teams abroad.
He says it also happens to players who go to play in Rwanda, Tanzania and Vietnam. Some of these players, according to Mwesigwa, are cheated by the people who take them to the teams out of Uganda.
\\\\ Cue in “they use players…”
Cue out “… we will be doing.”//
Mwesigwa has been in Jinja pushing for better welfare of players on the football ground and also in their homes.
He wants the footballers’ association, when formed, to be recognised by FUFA as a platform for players to fight for their entitlements.
Isa Magoola, the secretary Iganga football club, says clubs fail fulfilling their agreed objectives with the players due to poor cash flow. The gate match-day gate collections are insufficient, yet demands from the players keep increasing. He says apart from feeding, accommodation and signing fees, the players need training and match allowances and salaries. This is affected by unexpected expenses like treatment of injured players, change in match schedules calling for traveling long distances which affects the football team’s cash flow.
Faisal Mohammed, the FUFA delegate for Jinja says if the players are not organised it will be difficult for the football federation in Uganda to fight for those whose rights are abused.
He says some complaints have been reported from various football clubs in the Super League but investigations found that the football players are not conversant with the contract rules.
