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David GOMBE
Several football club owners in Uganda have opted out due to frustrations with Wakiso Giants’ Musa Atagenda joining the long list following the club’s relegation to the regional league last weekend.
In his words, Atagenda revealed that he will leave Ugandan football despite investing money, time and energy but ending in frustration.
“I gave everything. Time, money, energy and belief. Sadly, football has a way of punishing those who genuinely invest in it. Some decisions are painful, but necessary. The biggest mistake is expecting fairness in a system that feeds on your passion and gives nothing back.” Said Musa Atagenda via his social media platforms
He added that following his exit from investing in Ugandan football his dear sister will throw a party in celebration
“My sister says she’s throwing a party to celebrate my exit from football! You can imagine what my family was going through, as my time was devoted to the game! Who’s joining in.”
Atagenda joins the long list of football owners in Uganda who decided to focus on other businesses following disappointments in the beautiful game.
The list has Abdukarim Njubi who threw in the towel at Nalubaale FC in 2009 following his departure the club disbanded.
SC Victoria University’s Simo Dubaijic a methodical man quit Ugandan football after the University of Buckingham withdrew its support to Victoria University citing restrictions to freedom of Speech in Uganda in January 2015.
Simo relocated to Kenya accepted to sell the team to by then Kampala MP Muhammad Nsereko at Shs100m for a controlling stake of 51 percent. The Nsereko move turned into an error and now the club is defunct.
Arua Hill’s Joel Aita came with vigor to turn the page in Ugandan football, the club had support in the West Nile following its promotion to three topflight in 2021. But there journey ended in 2023/24 season when FUFA excluded the club from the second round fixture for failing to meet the club licensing regulations. Aita who had a dream to make the club Uganda Premier League winners by 2023 and with a 20,000 seater stadium but Aita lost interest and opted out.
Lweza Football Club owner Ahmed Ddamulira alias Opa also had ambitions of making the club one of the biggest brands in the land but following the club’s relegation from the Uganda Premier League in 2016/17 season, the Kajjansi based side changed ownership to famous Masaka politician Jude Mbabali,the rest is now history.
In fact the move saw most of Lweza FC faithfuls from in Entebbe, Abayita Ababiri, Kawuku, Bwebajja, Kitende, Kajjansi, Kawooto, Lweza, Seguku, Zzana among other areas of Entebbe road join now eight League champions Vipers SC.
Others include Kiira Young’s Jimmy Lukwago, Late Brig. Jackson Tushabe alias Col.Bell (Victors FC), Diana Nyago(Kirinya Jinja/Busoga United), Ali Ssekatawa of Nyamityobora, Masaka LC Vincent Ssempijja (Masaka LC), Smart Obedi (Soana/Tooro United) and Kyetume FC’s Ruben Mutebi.
Kawowo Sports Journalist Ismael Kiyonga says,
“More will come, will go and the trend will most likely continue if we never sit down and ask the fundamental questions and then address them. Ugandan football behaves more like arcade owners in Kampala, one tenant is leaving a shop disgusted, exhausted and poorer than he entered, another is entering with excitement and the cycle continues. In the end, the owner will remain steady fast in income and will never ask why his once good tenants quit as long as another one fills the rental space.
“As football, we need to answer the WHY without being sentimental. We can grow the game with our clubs having a very short lifespan. It should stop being personal but a collective responsibility for the good of the industry that has given us joy, riches and friends.” Noted Kiyonga
