Mayeku banking on experience to rejig URA fortunes

New CEO. Mayeku is URA’s man. PHOTO | JOHN BATANUDDE

BY ANDREW MWANGUHYA
Building a sustainable strategy for the club business model highlights Henry Mayeku’s plans as the experienced football administrator takes over as URA Chief Executive Officer (CEO).Mayeku’s new role was confirmed on Tuesday evening after beating a field of other candidates including Bridget Nakayenga, hitherto acting CEO at the club, Hamza Jjunju - erstwhile counterpart at Express, and URA former chief executive Edward Kulubya.
Having been a secretary at the club before, a financial officer at the authority, and served the game in different capacities over time, Mayeku, 46, clearly had a head-start. And he is, in his one year renewable contract, determined to pay back the faith entrusted in him by helping the four-time national champions back to when they seriously competed for the title.
“For the start,” Mayeku, a Chartered Accountant and Fellow of the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (FCCA), explained to Daily Monitor.
“I am embarking on three areas. One is the activation of the club brand, then improve on the facilities and human resource, and finally work on strategic partnerships.”

Football journey
Over time, Mayeku has amassed a wealth of experience through several training programs in sports administration organised by Fifa, Fufa and SuperSport among others.
He joined football administration at a time when the game showed little or no signs of professionalism.
“I was part of efforts to transform the game in 2010, starting with the Fifa Win in Africa with Africa project,” he told this newspaper.
“Later on, the game went through a very tumultuous period, that is 2011-2013 (USL/Fufa saga), I was still in the thick of things.
“Along the way, I have defended petitions and filed petitions with leagues, Fufa, Caf and Fifa and I don’t remember to have lost any.
“The experience I went through enabled me to learn a lot of cross-cutting issues that are critical to the efficient and effective functioning of a sporting entity.”
Mayeku further backed his credentials: “In the process, I built a lot of relationships with industry leaders. So I don’t need any introduction in most cecafa member associations, let alone Fufa Member Associations.
Task at hand
“Besides, I have been part of all trophies the club has won, apart from the Super Mini League when the club got promoted in 2001. So I believe this is vital experience to steer the club to the next level.”
Mayeku will be tasked to work with coach Sam Ssimbwa to transform the club to a winning outfit again.
URA’s last title came in the 2013-14 season, then winning their third Uganda Cup.
The tax collectors have four league titles to their name, but with the last coming in the 2010/11 campaign. They were only good for a fifth place finish last season.