Sports Club Villa Jogoo Elections (Extra Ordinary Assembly):
- Date: 14th July 2018
- Venue: Royal Gardens, Masaka (10 AM)
The Sports Club Villa Jogoo electoral committee has declared two candidates who expressed interest for the presidency seat.
Incumbent SC Villa Jogoo president Ben Immanuel Misagga and little known Sostine Atwine were made public by the EC during a press conference at Kati Kati Restaurant in Kampala on Wednesday, 27th June 2018.
The two candidates beat the June 24th application deadline set by the electoral committee headed by Major Evelyn Asiimwe, one of the members of parliament representing the UPDF.
Major Assimwe is deputized by fellow parliamentarian Sarah Babirye Kityo (representing Buganda region youth), police officer Musa Bilunda, interim CEO Ivan Kakembo and Sarah Adong as spokes person.
Whereas Atwine who hails from the Kanugu branch was physically president to pick and sign for the nomination forms, Misagga was represented by Moses Musasizi, a treasurer in the previous administration whose four year tenure expires on June 30th 2018.
Moments after picking his nomination forms, Atwine noted with confidence;
I am a competent leader who has been in SC Villa Jogoo fans’ administration for the last 5 years. I am sure that I will win this race because i have people who believe in change of administration and my personal abilities. I have been an SC Villa Jogoo fan for the last 18 years after i was inspired by my late father.
A few weeks ago, Misagga had confirmed his candidature that had been earlier set for 24th August at Masaka Royal Gardens before a new date (14th August 2018) was communicated.
He was followed by Sports Broadcasting Managing Director Dennis Mbidde Ssebugwawo, who ironically declared a parallel election day (12th July 2018) at Villa Park, Nsambya in Kampala.
Mbidde also predicted a bloody election and urged fans to boycott the 14th July 2018 in Masaka.
I am fronting an all inclusion policy at Sports Club Villa Jogoo. All personalities matter to the development of the club. I want fans to buy shares from the club and we own the club collectively. We also need a leader who understands the history of the club, a hands on leader and that is Denis Mbidde. This is why I have brought on board; Sheya Yo, Sheya Yaffe. We intend to increase the club fans’ branches to 200 across the country with each branch having at least 250 members. We have elections on 12th July 2018 at Villa Park and i encourage all the Villa fans to turn up that day and do not bother to go to Masaka.
Despite declaring his candidature, Mbidde did not show interest in the SC Villa Jogoo elections terming them as illegal.
Other members who had earlier showed interest in the top seat as Edgar Muhairwe Agaba, a city laywer (who is also a board member on NSSF), Muhammed Bazirengedde (another laywer who also served as vice president to Misagga before the two fell out) and a former club player Gibby Kalule who is currently a FIFA players’ inter-mediary, have all turned their back against these elections.
For more than seven years now, the club has been dogged into ownership disputes after the formulation of SC Villa Jogoo, a company co-owned by Ben Misagga, Moses Musasizi and Lusaka Commodities from the earlier Villa Jogoo Limited.
The elections appeals committee has lawyer Friday Roberts Kagoro as chairman.
The members on this committee are Bright Stars director Ronnie Mutebi and former Uganda Cranes media officer Charles “Gazzaman” Kodili. (Kodili is now an active journalist working with The Daily Monitor).
Mutebi who attended the Wednesday press conference communicated that no party had lodged in any compliant as by the time of the elections.
The SC Villa Jogoo elections are ear marked to take place on 14th July 2018 at Royal Gardens in Masaka starting at 10 AM.
