Following a directive by the minister of Education and Sports Hon. Jessica Alupo that by January 31st, 2013 the country should have only one league, she has come out and clearly stated that the directive should not be described as government interference but intervention.
In an exclusive interview with The Daily Monitor, Alupo said that both factions (FUFA and USL) were given enough time to settle their issues amicably and insisted that government’s directive comes as intervention in case the two fail to reach agreement insisting that as of now, both are given a benefit of doubt. “It’s not government interference but intervention”, the retired major told Daily Monitor. “This case is very delicate and has been there for long thus has reached its maturity”, she continued.
It should be noted that on December 13, 2012, the Minister met FUFA, the Uganda Super League (USL), sponsors Uganda Breweries Limited (UBL) and SuperSport in an effort to redirect the country’s worrying football trend. The minister henceforth directed that by January 31, 2013, the FUFA-backed Super League (FSL) – and the USL go reason together and come back with one topflight league.
Both leagues have continued to go on with their business and it’s more likely that nothing materialistic will have been reached by the set date if the current impasse is not resolved by the two parties as it appears. Asked why the ministry does not order both (FSL and USL) to stop as resolutions for a single league are sought, she said; “What I know is that solving problems, you’ve got to take one step at a time. I wouldn’t want a scenario where it has already been quoted that the Major is using military orders to say this and that”.
She however warned that in case of no resolution by January 31st, she will not hesitate to take action.
“Where military orders apply of course I wouldn’t hesitate to issue them. If they come back by 31st of January, assuming they have not agreed to one league, that’s when another course of action will be taken”.
On the kind of league the ministry would love to see, Alupo made it clear that in the meeting with FUFA, USL and sponsors, the agreed on a league with sponsors and warned its better not to lose the sponsors we have at the moment.
“What we said is that it is very important for us to have one league”, she said. “And one of the advantages that we had in mind is that one league can easily attract sponsors. Then we also added that the blessing that we have now is that one of the leagues (USL) already has sponsors (UBL and Supersport). So for you to maintain these sponsors, it is better for you to come out very clearly with one league, and let’s not lose the sponsors that we currently have”.
When blamed on why the ministry took long to intervene in the FUFA/USL impasse that has made most of the lovers of the beautiful game hate it, she lamented;
“We have been engaging them and this is why I’m saying enough is enough. I don’t like it when someone who has come to sponsor our football to be treated like the way he was treated. The FUFA/USL problem has reached a point of no return. I’m not ready to be part of their confusion”.
It remains to be seen whether the two parties will bury their hatchet and work together for the good of football.
