Vipers SC president Lawrence Mulindwa has condemned in the strongest of terms the incidents on Saturday in which a section of SC Villa fans destroyed part of the facility at the St. Mary’s stadium, Kitende.
In a fiercely contested tie decided by a beautiful Tom Masiko free kick in the 30th minute, angry fans destroyed barriers separating the VIP section accusing referee Alex Muhabi of denying them a penalty when Shafik Bakaki appeared to have handled the ball inside the area.
Speaking to the media on Monday morning, a livid Mulindwa described the Villa fans as uncivilized and foolish and called upon FUFA to act in a manner that will send the warning to other would be offenders.
“What happened on Saturday should be condemned in the strong manner,” said Mulindwa. “I have had excuses of referees not doing their job well but everywhere, it happens. But fans never go overboard,” he added.
SC Villa as a team, it has gone beyond. You all remember what happened in Masaka when they played KCCA. The same fans took off with referees gadgets and also beat up some visiting fans but FUFA let them Scot free.
The former FUFA president promised to deal with whoever was involved in damaging the stadium on an individual basis and not SC Villa as a club but called upon the FA to act with a strong action.
“We need to see Police and FUFA take action on this with strong actions against the club,” he said. “But I as Mulindwa will deal with individuals and we have evidence and we know them,” he continued and went further to reveal some of the names who include renowned Villa fans namely – Mukwasi (Nsambya), Katongole, Lutaaya, Tito, Meddie Katanyota and Miracle.
Mulindwa also hinted at the fact that whatever was done was planned and not just sparked off by the referees’ action.
For your information, it didn’t arouse from the match. They started singing war songs on arrival and they had planned everything at Villa Park. We have all the necessary information.
He called upon all the ‘so called’ big clubs in the name of Villa, KCCA and Express FC to embrace the competition brought by the new sides before mocking them.
These VEK clubs must embrace new rivals. Villa has been in existence for all the years but what do they have? Even Villa Park has no toilets. Infrastructure is the basis of success but they keep moving from stadia to another like measles. And they did it of jealous that they wanted everything to be destroyed
Mulindwa also warned that what happened on Saturday is the last of such incident at Kitende as long he is still breathing.
The madness that happened on Saturday is the last time such hooliganism is happening as long as am alive. It’s the last time am provoked and even if it means not allowing fans inside anymore – this stadium doesn’t survive on gate collections in any case.
Talking rivalry, the proprietor of St. Mary’s Kitende SS gave an example of the derby games between Simba and Yanga in Tanzania that are always peaceful no matter the circumstances.
Rivalry doesn’t mean becoming physical because it’s needed in football. Let’s embrace it and I love it that the 3 clubs (VEK) that were sleeping are awake now because Vipers had come on board.
Earlier on Monday, SC Villa CEO Valley Mugwanya condemned the incidents in a statement but infuriated Mulindwa by insisting that the fans who did the damage are not part of the Jogoos but masqueraders.
I was disappointed by the CEO of Villa when he said that those people you saw are not part us but masqueraders but they were sitting on the Villa side and donning Villa jersey – it’s a shame from of the office of the person of CEO.
He concluded by calling upon all stakeholders to condemn hooliganism for the good of the game as the effort to lure fans back into stadia like it was in the 1980s and early 90s.
I call upon all football managers to realise we need to have fans back – continue competing, continue to fund the game but we shall not allow a section of fans who come to stadium to destroy – let fair play prevail at all times.
Although the financial details of the damage is yet to be ascertained, it’s reported that the destruction that didn’t stop at the barriers but also the water and PA system is beyond Ugx. 10 million.