How Njuba landed coveted Vipers CEO job
Vipers’ Legal Director Alex Luganda (R) handing over some of the instruments of power to the new CEO Simon Peter Njuba yesterday in Kitende. PHOTO/JOHN BATANUDDE
After what seems like a long wait, reigning Uganda Premier League (UPL) champions Vipers have hired Simon Peter Njuba as their new Chief Executive Officer (CEO) to replace Peter Lwanga.
Up until his appointment yesterday, the 32-year-old was an IT technician at St.Mary’s Secondary School, Kitende and the club where he has been playing a pivotal role in the player transfers.
Not that there weren’t capable challengers. It is reported that Ben Mwine, formerly with Kwese TV Sports and KFM Radio, former Express CEO Hamza Junju and renowned football administrator Edward Kulubya had all submitted in their resumes.
Sources intimated that Njuba’s close relation with club president Dr Lawrence Mulindwa since he was a student at Kitende and later a teacher at the same school put him in the lead.
Njuba refutes the claims; “We all underwent interviews conducted by a respectable recruitment firm in town. I believe my endeavors in the eight years I have worked with the club and my Domestic Transfer Matching System (DTMS) training put me in pole position.”
Vipers’ legal and executive member Alex Luganda, who handed over the tools of work, revealed that Njuba had trounced 85 applicants and assured him the necessary support. It remains to be seen whether Njuba, who has been dealing in transfers and player registration can wield authority in matters of administration, finance and key decisions which catapulted the demise of his predecessor Lwanga.
“I’m going to have powers at the club because it is enshrined in my contract. I expect to handle all the financial details at the club and make big decisions to take the club forward,” he vowed.
Why Njuba?
Insiders at Kitende say Mulindwa trusts Njuba to the point that he can walk into his three offices even without appointment. He has been in charge of the school’s and club’s sensitive information and literary understands every corner at Kitende. Lately, he has been in Fufa’s good books and attends most workshops and meetings at the federation.
“I have experience in football I have dealt with the federation before. It won’t be hard for me to manage this job and make sure I fulfill the obligations of the club,” said Njuba, who inked a two-year deal.
Whereas Junju has the experience, Mwine the business connections and Kulubya the much needed education, Njuba is well versed with the club’s internal mechanism and agenda.
His main challenge, insiders reveal, will be creating a rapport with players, technical team, fans and sponsors owing to the fact that he prefers to do his work in a muted demeanor. The club’s ever-growing expectations will be another hurdle for the new man-in-charge.
