FUFA Vice President in charge of the super league Mujib Kasule has come out and said that FUFA president Lawrence Mulindwa was wrong to base his manifesto on ensuring that Uganda Cranes qualifies for the Africa Nations Cup. “It was wrong”, he said. “You can’t make a manifesto based on qualification. You can do everything in your powers but you can’t determine qualification. It remains in the hands of God”, added Mujib. It should be noted that while coming into power, Mulindwa promised that he was taking the Cranes to Nation Cup something that he has failed to achieve since assuming power in 2005.
Kasule who had appeared on 99.6 FM J’s sports show on Wednesday afternoon further said that he advised the president to change that mindset and instead concetrate on setting up structures which he feels have been set up. “I advised him to change his thoughts. All we need are structures which have so far been instituted. Thats why you saw Geoffrey Kizito graduate from the U-20 national side to the Cranes”.
On Uganda Cranes’ failed qualification campaign, Kasule put it down to hard luck. “It’s amazing how a team can convert eight penalties but still lose the game. On any other day, that conversion rate earns you victory. We can’t fault the boys because they gave their all”. On whether Bobby Williamson is still the right man for the Cranes coaching job, Mujib said; “Of course yes. He has won three CECAFA titles and you can see that there has been improvement on the team eversince he took over”.
With a section of frustrated Ugandan soccer fans calling for resignation of the FUFA president after yet another heart breaking campaign, Kasule insisted that under Mulindwa, Uganda’s soccer has improved a lot and thus it won’t be a right move to let him go. “We are now considered as a footballing nation in Africa. The image of the national team has improved with every Ugandan associated with the team. Just imagine if we had to bring in a new president for every failed campaign. It’s not logical”.
On what is next for the team and Ugandan football in general, Kasule said that as a federation, the focus shifts to CECAFA and world Cup qualifiers. “Our focus now shifts to CECAFA and up coming World Cup qualifiers”, he concluded. Uganda’s last appearance at the Nations Cup was in 1978.