Federation of International Football Associations (FIFA) President, Gianni Infantino successfully completed a two day official visit to Uganda on Saturday evening.
This was the first visit for any FIFA President to the land locked country, arguably the best footballing nation in the entire East and Central Africa region.
Addressing the media at Ivy’s Hotel in Wakaliga, Kampala, Infantino assured the media that his prime visit to Africa and elsewhere he has been, was to monitor different FIFA Programmes, ensure football development and forge lasting relationships with all the member associations.
Reacting to a barrage of questions posed by the different media personalities after his official address, Infantino stressed;
I am not here for political reasons. I came to supervise and assess FIFA Programmes.
FIFA is there to ensure there is harmony amongst all the member associations.
Our prime target is development of football from the grass-roots.
Prior to his visit in Uganda, Infantino was in Zimbabwe where he met with the FA boss and also the country’s senior citizen, Robert Mugabe.
Still in Uganda, he interacted with President Museveni at Entebbe State House, the speaker of national parliament Rebecca Kadaga, national team (Uganda Cranes) sponsors and FUFA partners, the football delegates, active and EX-players, young referees, serving referees, the retired ones as well, and the media finally with a well organized press conference at Ivy’s Hotel in Wakaliga, Kampala.
[media-credit id=10225 align=”alignnone” width=”900″]
[/media-credit]
Infantino played some football as he officiated at the official ground breaking ceremony of the Kadiba play ground in Rubaga that FIFA will fund as it is upgraded to a regional stadium status.
He later unveiled a foundation stone, planted a ceremonial tree at the ground that FUFA secured following a partnership with Church of Uganda, Namirembe Cathedral for the next 49 years.
During a special breakfast meeting with the Speaker of Parliament, Rebecca Kadaga and the football sponsors as well as partners, he paid glowing praise to the football sponsors and partners, players, fans and the media.
He also watched a national Juniors league match between KCCA Soccer Academy and Lweza Orange Brigade at the FIFA sponsored Phillip Omondi – Lugogo Astro turf in Kampala.
All the stake holders are key partners in the development of the game. As FIFA, we only stop at development with some limited assistance.
The rest of you guys, sponsors, fans, players, fans, referees, club officials and delegates, you do a remarkable job altogether.
In the bilateral talks he held with President Museveni at Entebbe State House, he requested the head of state to give football development a top priority, starting with the challenging infrastructural development.
Museveni also assured him Sport, football in particular is now being given attention after admitting it was way down the wish list of priorities on the Government ‘white paper’.
Infantino’s visit comes at a time Africa heads to the election time as there is a big battle entangled between the incumbent Issa Hayatou and Madagascar’s Ahmad Ahmad due mid March 2017 in Ethiopia.
