Overview:
Former Football Initiative is intended to bring closer retired footballers in good and challenging times. This unity can be helpful as we seek workable solutions to hardships and celebrating the good deeds together as a family” Pastor Paul Musisi of Caring Heart Victory Community.
- Former Footballers Initiative (FFI)
- Football Gala & Cooperative Launch
- Saturday, 2nd December 2023
- At Old Kampala Secondary School playgrounds
- Start time: 8 AM
The life of an active professional sportsman can be exciting, glowing but often provocative.
The time span for these sports personalities is limited to some period before the effects of age can be felt with other unforeseen situations as accidents, injuries, indiscipline often casting grey patches.
Many a time, retired sports personalities have been left to ponder on how to be assimilated into the communities where they leave, live ordinary lives and be happy at all times.
The retirement plan is therefore key for those active sportsmen and women so as to live desirable happy lives thereafter.
In Uganda, a number of bodies have been formulated to accommodate former sports men and women; more so, the footballers.
The Former Footballers Initiative (FFI), a body that brings together all retired football players in the country who once played association football is one of those at the fore.
This body is headed by Pastor Paul Musisi, of Caring Heart Victory Community off Kagula Hill in Kakiri Town Council in Wakiso District.
“Former Footballers Initiative is intended to bring closer retired footballers in good and challenging times. This unity can be helpful as we seek workable solutions to hardships and celebrating the good deeds together as a family” Pastor Musisi remarked as he addressed the media at BMK House, Kampala on Wednesday, November 15, 2023.
To this end, the group has planned a mega reunion on Saturday, 2nd December 2023 at Old Kampala Secondary School playgrounds.
On the day, there will be the official launch of the Cooperative savings group and an exciting football gala for the football greats.
“The day will start by 8:00 AM. We expect to have a fun-filled day of joy and networking. There will also be motivational speakers from National Social Security Fund (NSSF) and National Insurance Regulatory Authority (NIRA) to talk to us” Kennedy Lubogo, FFI secretary general communicated.
The retired footballers will relish the golden memories from the yester-years in their respective teams as Coffee, Nsambya, Nile, Nytil, Simba, BELL, Tobbaco, Prisons, UEB, Masaka Union, KCC (now KCCA), Express, Sports Club Villa Jogoo, Masaka Local Council, Nateete Young, SCOUL, State House, Wandegeya, Entebbe Works, Manhatten and others.
“We want to get a data-base of all the retired footballers. This reunion will be amazing for us all” Saul Kizito, the organizing secretary of the group hints.
Uganda Cranes legendary goalkeeper Paul Ssali called for unity of the retired footballers.
“We have had so many groups for former footballers. This Initiative needs the blessing of Federation of Uganda Football Associations (FUFA) to move at one par. Otherwise the idea of the Cooperative is brilliant” Ssali who also played for KCCA, Nateete Young and Simba noted.
The Former Footballers Initiative has managed to bring together former footballers as Baker Kasigwa, Francis Kulabigwo, John Baptist Ntensibe, Polly Ouma, Ssalongo Kizito, Abbey Nasur, the Omba brothers Simon and James, Kennedy Lubogo, Obadiah “Musanvu w’Ggwanga” Ssemakula, Muhammed Matovu, Moses “Nkolawa” Musisi, Edward Nsubuga, Issa Ssekatawa, David Mugerwa, Bright Dhaira, Vincent Ssemanobe Lubwama, Isaac “Iron-man” Nkaada and others.
General Edward Katumba Wamala, the patron of Former Footballers’ Initiative (FFI) will be the chief guest on the day.