Relegated Lweza Football Club has changed ownership after being disposed off to famous Masaka politician Jude Mbabali, Kawowo Sports has learnt.
Mbabali, the new owner of the club, is the Masaka district LC 5 Chairman, a DP leaning politician and a lawyer by training.
While the financial nitty gritty remain muted thus far, there are confirmed reports that Lweza former owner Ahmed ‘Oppa’ Ddamulira has sold off the club but he will remain with the minority shares (25%) as the club kick starts a new phase of life in the FUFA Big League.
Under the new arrangement, the club will shift base from Kajjansi and Wankulukuku where they have been training and hosting matches respectively to the football mad Masaka area.
Lweza’s tough and testing times
In January 2017, philanthropist and money mogul Jack Pemba (also sponsor of Warriors Basketball Club) nearly bought off the club but pending issues of ownership percentage let him down.
For the past season, the club has been dogged by financial constraints where players and administrators endured tough and challenging times.
Many a times, basics as water, food, training and match allowances were as scarce as a storm in hell, let alone the monthly wages.
Massive player exodus
During the January transfer window, the club lost dependable players as goalkeeper Brian ‘Ziggi’ Bwete, Paddy Muhumuza, Asuman Alishe, Karim Ndugwa and others after conditions became unbearable.
As a quick remedy, the club resorted to recruitment of tried and tested veterans like Manko Kaweesa, Jeremiah Ssebuyira, Ronald Muganga and the like.
To add insult to injury, founding member and CEO, Moses ‘Jajja Moze’ Ssenyonga threw in the towel under the guise he was pre-occupied with personal projects.
Midway the second half of the season, they lost the services of the committed head coach Ibrahim ‘Uchumi’ Kirya to URA FC.
Fans’ migration to Vipers
At the start of the 2016/17 season, a large faction of the club loyal fans in Entebbe, Abayita Ababiri, Kawuku, Bwebajja, Kitende, Kajjansi, Kawooto, Lweza, Seguku, Zana and other parts along the ever busy Kampala – Entebbe highway had been ‘bought off’ like sacks of beans by tycoon and former FUFA President, Lawrence Mulindwa to join Vipers Sports Club.
Already a host of players have indicated they would not be part of the team in the lower division.
John ‘Neymar’ Kisakye, Swaib Mudde, Charles Sempa, Owen Kasule, Juma Balinya, Rajab Kakooza have already sought for greener pastures.
In Masaka, Lweza finds another established side, Synergy that also plays in the FUFA Big League.
Mbabali becomes the second politician to buy off a football club in the recent past after Kampala Central Member of Parliament Muhammed Nsereko bought Sports Club Victoria University (SCVU).
