“It’s coming home” was the uniformly chorused phase by the Uganda U-17 delegation that triumphed at the recently concluded AFCON U-17 qualifiers (CECAFA Zone) as they boarded the Precision Air vessel PW 760 from the Julius Nyerere Airport in Dar es Salaam to the lake side Entebbe International Airport.
Throughout the journey, the members aboard (players and officials) happily smiled for a bold reason – Uganda had won at the tourney which was used as a basis of qualification to the 2019 U-17 tournament that will take center stage next May in Tanzania.
At Entebbe International Airport, the contingent was gracefully ushered in by a cold shower following the morning rains over Entebbe and the surrounding areas on Monday.
FUFA third Vice President Florence Nakiwala Kiyingi, also the state minister in charge of children’s affairs alongside the federation executive committee members Ronnie Kalema and Hamid Juma, as well as other officials received the delegation that set in minutes to noon, following a delay to land because of bad weather.
FUFA President Moses Magogo, also a CAF Executive committee member emerged first of the Airport immigration zone to the waiting lobby.
He was followed by the team captain Gavin Kizito Mugweri who wore a typical winners’ smile, gold coated medal and held the gigantic trophy with both of his hands.
“We are champions and it is not yet over. We shall continue to work hard and harder” Kizito swore before the eagerly awaiting media.
Other team members wheeled their luggage as they were mobbed by friends, relatives and the Airport staff.
The team was later driven off to the Rubaga based Jevine Hotel, overlooking the historical Kabaka’s Lake for a welcome luncheon.
At the Luncheon, they were joined by other Federation officials, among whom included the famous Muhammod “Blatter” Kalema, the money man at FUFA who issued each member on the delegation a token of appreciation engrossed in an envelope.
Addressing the players, officials and the media, the FUFA boss, Magogo, appreciated the efforts of the players, officials and support staff for the collective effort.
He boldly underlined the significance of the FUFA Juniors league, started three years ago in 2015 as he also vowed to prepare the team for the 2019 AFCON U-17 event where he expects to compete for the coveted crown;
In 2015, we started the FUFA Juniors League with all top elite clubs asked to have a team as a regulation. The clubs obliged. FUFA met the costs of MRI tests for all the players, paid monthly salaries for the coaches and transported all the teams. This is an expensive venture but worthy and rewarding. We sought for development and these are the fruits.
Magogo also thanked the top tier clubs that have taken an extra step to field and graduate and field some of the youngsters from the Junior teams.
He appealed to Ugandan fans to flock Tanzania in support of the team come May 2019;
I urge as many football fans to travel to Tanzania and support the young players. This is one chance since Uganda, apart from the hosts Tanzania will be one of the nearest countries in the region.
Team captain Kizito thanked the federation for providing them a plat form to play football as he vowed to inspire the rest of his players in the final tournament;
I thank FUFA for facilitating us and enabling us play in the qualifiers. We shall not disappoint. We never say never because we believe we can achieve greater successes.
Head coach, Peter Onen saluted the players for the fighting spirit and FUFA for the support in preparations;
We had two weeks of preparing in a camp at Njeru. When we went to Tanzania, we could not believe we could progress this far, but the players grew in confidence day after day
Tanzania and Uganda will represent the CECAFA zone at the eight team tournament whose qualification mode was altered by CAF.
Previously, all the teams played round robin regardless of which zone a country came from.
