FUFA on Wednesday held a strategic meeting with the StarTimes Uganda Premier League (board and secretariat) and Club Chairpersons aimed on how to improve the top tier league.
The meeting held at Imperial Royale Hotel which was interactive in nature made attempt at generating ideas on how to address the current challenges and how best the League can grow into a viable product.
FUFA President who chaired the meeting started by lauding club chairpersons for their efforts in running clubs.
“I take this opportunity to thank Club chairpersons for always committing your resources in terms of money and time to football. Without clubs you cannot have football and with such meetings, we need to come up with strategic ideas on how best we can improve,” he started.
“We all have a duty to develop our League and decisions made today will in the long run bring transformation. As FUFA, Uganda Premier League board and the clubs we must synergy efforts to cause the desired change.” He added.
The President hinted on three salient areas where emphasis must be put in order to make a complete turnaround of League.
- Resources
- Infrastructure
- The Sports Law
StarTimes Uganda Premier League Board Chairman, Arinaitwe Rugyendo believes consorted efforts must be made to push the brand in the right direction.
“I’m happy to say that the League is taking strategic decisions to make improvement. From the period of turbulence in the early 2000s to the recovery process we have been undergoing, it is high time that we find strategic solutions to the current challenges in order to create a good brand which generates income.” Said Rugyendo
Artiste Bebe Cool who came on the invitation of the FUFA President made a presentation to Club chairpersons on how football must work hand in hand with entertainers to pull crowds during domestic games.
Music and sport work in tandem. For example, over the weekend Rihanna performed at Super Bowl. How many people who literally didn’t know anything about NFL but watched because the musician was performing? So as FUFA, UPL and clubs, you must make a strategic move to tap into our fans by bringing entertainers to closer to the game.
Club chairpersons were impressed with this intervention and indicated such engagements should be made often.
Diana Hope Nyago, the President of Busoga United FC tasked FUFA to make up follow up on the numerous ideas generated from the meeting.
“I’m delighted that FUFA is coming up with such interventions. What we need as football is to make long term strategies and I’m happy that several aspects have been discussed. What FUFA and Clubs need is to do a follow up.” She stated.
FUFA will come up with a document at a later date to contextualize all the ideas that were generated during the meeting.
Attendance of Club Chairpersons
Agnes Mugene – Blacks Power FC
Joel Aita – Arua Hill SC
George William Mulindwa – Vipers SC
Ssubi Kiwanuka –Express FC
Edrine Ochieng – Gaddafi FC
Ronald Barente – BUL FC
Omar Mandela – SC Villa
Musa Ssebulime – Wakiso Giants FC
Col. John Mark Ssemanda – UPDF FC
Dr. Micah Gaalya – URA FC
Aggrey Ashaba (Vice Chairperson) – KCCA FC
