Uganda: Fufa’s Moses Magogo Sent On Gardening Leave

The Observer (Kampala)

Moses Mugalu

29 June 2011

Fufa Competitions Committee (FCC) secretary Moses Magogo is in a spot of bother over Boroboro Tigers FC’s boardroom defeat to Iganga FC.

This follows the pair’s aborted Big League play-off match earlier this month. Boroboro, who were leading 5-0 until the 70th minute when the match was abandoned, have accused Magogo of altering decisions of the disciplinary committee that ‘had awarded them victory’ despite their 5-0 first leg loss in Iganga.

The Lira-based club now wants Magogo banned from the game for life on charges that he ‘committed forgery and has abused his office’. Boroboro officials base their allegations on recommendations contained in the FUFA Referees’ Disciplinary Committee report.

In its June 18 report, which The Observer has obtained, the five-man committee chaired by former FIFA referee Ali Waiswa, concluded that ‘Iganga TC displayed a spirit of unsportsmanship’ because they faked injuries to ensure the game is abandoned as they trailed. Waiswa and his colleagues Samuel Egesa, John Sekyanzi, Edirisa Kiwanuka and Kityo Ssozi, reached the aforementioned conclusion after studying referee David Oula’s report.

Oula abandoned the game on 70 minutes because Iganga didn’t have the mandatory number of players (at least seven) to continue play after getting two red cards and three ‘injuries’ he said were feigned. In conclusion, Waiswa’s committee decided that Boroboro FC be awarded maximum points and six goals and therefore be allowed to progress.

However, on Tuesday (June 28), Magogo insisted that he sent the communication based on the decision of FUFA’s Disciplinary Committee. According to Magogo, FUFA’s Disciplinary Committee convened on June 20, two days after the referees’ committee made its uncoupling recommendations.

However, Boroboro officials picked on inconsistencies in Magogo’s letter and went on to lodge an appeal as well as petition the National Council of Sports (NCS). For instance, the FCC letter (signed by Magogo) stated that Boroboro lost the match to Iganga on grounds that they (Boroboro) fielded Dan Obote, who had accumulated three yellows cards.

This letter was, however, written on June 10. Yet, in the first paragraph the same letter says that the FUFA Disciplinary Committee made its ruling on June 20. Does it mean the outcome of the petition was pre-determined? Based on that ground, Boroboro officials feel Magogo is witch-hunting their club.

In their petition to NCS, Boroboro accuse Magogo of forgery, a claim the FCC secretary strongly dismisses. “I cannot be that insane to change a decision of the committee,” Magogo told The Observer on Tuesday.

He, however, acknowledged the inconsistencies in his letter. “Those were just clerical errors,” he explained. He added that FCC called off the scheduled final play-off match between Iganga TC and BIDCO (earlier set for Sunday, June 26 at Nakivubo Stadium) until a ruling on Boroboro’s appeal comes through.

This is not the first time Magogo is at war with Boroboro. In the run-up to their controversial relegation from the Super League in the 2009/10 season, Boroboro accused Magogo of changing fixtures that favoured CRO who escaped the drop at their expense.

Magogo was then in-charge of both the FCC and League fixtures. In fact, some officials claim Magogo is using the latest episode to ensure that Boroboro don’t come back into top-flight football.

They further accuse him of trying to favour Iganga TC because it’s a team from his home region. Magogo dismissed both claims. With pressure from the NCS, whose secretary Jasper Aligawesa has ordered an investigation into the matter, Magogo has been suspended.

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