Express FC chairperson Florence Nakiwala Kiyingi has echoed that the club played its part to put Vincent Onyebuchi out of danger and the rest is none of their business.
The Nigerian defender who broke a leg in an aborted Premier League match against Proline in April has been the talk of the football fraternity in recent weeks with most blaming the club for failure to take care of the player.
He was first treated at Mengo before he was transferred to a private health centre, Lisa Medical Centre but without much improvement.
Early this week, a group of Red Eagles fans led by Julius Bakunda and former CEO Hamza Jjunju took the initiative to take him to CoRSU where it was revealed he needed surgery costing not below Ugx. 10 million and on Thursday, it was discovered he needed over 8-9 surgeries with doctors confirming he will never play football again.
When put to task to explain the stand of the club on the Nigerian’s issue, Nakiwala vividly said the club played its part before hinting at the fact that Onyebuchi is no longer a Red Eagle since his contract expired.
“Vincent (Onyebuchi) is out of danger,” Nakiwala told the press. “That’s why I brought him the other time for all of you to see,” she added in reference to Thursday last week when the player was present as Express announced a partnership with Jungle Fever.
If he was abandoned on pitch, then that would be a different case. So we did our part as Express FC and we took him to Mengo where he was treated and later released.
The State Minister for Youth further revealed what measures Mengo advised the player to take if he is to heal including going to CoRSU for plastic surgery.
But they told us those things to do with bones. We can advise you to take a break, to abscond from having sex as bones become firm. We can advise you to go to CoRSU to do plastic surgery etc.
She further sounded cynical by advising Onyebuchi to go back to Nigeria for fresh air just like Didier Toya; the Cameroonian striker did since its recess time.
Now, the world is big. If it means him going back home, to breath fresh air it’s okay because we are in recess.
Even the Cameroonian went home so. So it’s open. The rest is beyond and just one and one but as a club, its part was played.
Fundraising
With a section of fans starting a drive to fundraise for Onyebuchi’s treatment at CoRSU, Nakiwala disowned everything going on and warned of arrests to whoever is spearheading the drive.
And we are not responsible for the ongoing fundraising. I have received calls of people asking whether we have received the money. If it goes beyond, we shall inform Police because collection of money is illegal. At the end of the day, I don’t want people to come to me for accountability.
Shockingly, the Uganda Premier League have joined hands to support the drive by donating Ugx. 2 million towards the treatment of the player.
Two weeks ago, the Premier League clubs voted the Express FC chairperson as their representative to the FUFA Executive subject to approval by the General Assembly due next month in Masindi.
