Fufa, Magogo take deeper steps into national politics

Uganda football federation president Moses Hashim Magogo is now a vote and five months away from joining parliament as a legislator.
The Fufa supremo on Friday trounced Budiope East incumbent MP Geoffrey Dhamuzungu and three others to assume the ruling National Resistance Movement party’s flag ahead of January-February elections.
Magogo will be the favourite with odds in triple figures to win the Buyende District constituency regardless of who appears on the ballot challenging his football administration fame.

And football is where he wants to belong, according to officials at Fufa House in Mengo, who say their boss – who converted to Islam and earned the right to marry more than one wife – is keen to do just that with politics and football administration as well.
A precedent at Zurich
Mwine Mpaka, for Mbarara City South, and Dinah Nyago, for Njeru Municipality, are among the notable sports administrators who won the NRM flags.
The duo is chairpersons and owners of Uganda Premier League sides Mbarara City and Busoga United, respectively.

While it is not uncommon to find club owners engaging in national politics, Magogo certainly sets a precedence that Zurich might be taking note of.
Sources close to Magogo intimated to Daily Monitor in June that the Fufa president had consulted his ‘friends’ at Fifa and Caf and got a go-ahead to join national politics while running football affairs of the country.
While Fifa Statutes prohibit any form of political interference or politics itself in the game, it remains vague on whether member association or federation heads can run for political office whilst maintaining their status.

Put another way, Magogo would amplify voices of Makindye West MP Allan Ssewanyana – who owns regional side Katwe United – Nyago and Mpaka .
For instance, in May, Magogo was at pains to explain the need to repeal the National Council of Sports Act 1964 and to redefine sports beyond the leisure tag.
It is such voices of the game that Mujib Kasule underscores will make Magogo a big bonus.
“It is good that we get more sports people joining political offices. They will push for updated sports laws to save us from the amateur status we are wallowing in,” Kasule, who challenged Magogo in 2017 Fufa polls said.
Magogo’s close allies believe he would use his seat in Parliament to bridge such gaps.

“Our stadiums are rundown and always fail Fifa and Caf inspections, some are sold off, but do you hear MPs raise these issues?” said the Fufa official.
‘Magogo must leave one’
However, Kasule said the Fufa president should decide on one office to be productive, arguing that the MP seat is time-bound.
“We believe he will relinquish his Fufa post once he wins in Budiope East and I wish him well.”
Haruna Kyobe, a Vipers official who is running for Bunnamwaya Division chairman office, was more brittle in his assessment of Magogo’s plans.
“This is greed at its best because both offices have challenges. Holding them at the same time despite it being legal in Ugandan laws, leaves yawning gaps in each office,” he said.
“Football, like Magogo always preaches, needs time which is bound to reduce when he is in another office.”

Renowned football administrator Ben Misagga questioned the logic of a partisan Fufa official managing players and officials, saying he would consult his colleagues on way forward.
“He can’t effectively handle both positions. It is very difficult. For instance, supposing we get a new head of state [from] Opposition, how are you going to lobby him?” Misagga queried.
He said Fufa officials who say Magogo will handle both roles are insisting because they know without him they cannot live.
“On principle, you cannot be a Fufa president and an MP at the same time because this is a partisan parliament. Football does not allow politics,” he said.
[email protected]