Namboole reopening: A mix of pluses and minuses

Five years on, Namboole stadium rose from its lengthy slumber as Fufa used the StarTimes Uganda Premier League as a guinea pig in a bid to regain rights to host international games.

A near-capacity crowd watched Bul’s 1-0 victory over Vipers and KCCA overcome SC Villa 2-0 in an entertaining Kampala derby on Wednesday.

Those results sent Bul to the top on 49 points, a point clear of Kitara with Vipers third and a further two adrift.

Villa (45), Nec (43) and KCCA (42 follow in that order as this promises to be the best league finish in years.

You could sense there was a thirst for the stadium but also this was helped by picking fixtures involving teams in direct confrontation for the league title.

Being a public holiday, the International Labour Day, the public had a lot of free time for many.

You may have to go back to several decades for the last time when club football filled Namboole.

We came close to matching the numbers that watched Express beat Villa 1-0 in 1999 and the latter’s 1-0 victory over Nigeria’s Julius Berger in the 2021 Caf Champions League second round.

Banned

However, in the grand scheme of things this day was about points elsewhere following Namboole’s international ban.

Football authorities, Caf and Fifa, demanded that the stadium be renovated to have a better playing surface, modern floodlights and turn it an all-seater facility.

Others that were to be improved included the use of an automated access control system, expansion of dressing rooms that had to be increased from two to four and refurbishment of the VIP and VVIP stands.

Namboole got a lot of pluses but the mess that came with the automated access control failing and people with tickets being blocked left the organisers naked.

The floodlights aren’t as good as they should be and Namboole now faces the proverbial race against time for next month’s 2026 Fifa World Cup qualifiers.

Everyone will also have seen the faulty stadium screen, absence of a tartan running track and a media tribune that rivals the most disorganised marketplace.

Government, through a supplementary budget of Shs97b, is still doing rehabilitation with the UPDF in charge.

Fufa impressed

According to Fufa Marketing director Rogers Byamukama, also the organization and some facilities left a lot to be desired, some lessons were registered.

“The trial session was 90 percent a success. We are now in position to plan to host Chan and Afcon games. We have noted all the concerns for further improvement," he said.

Brace

For now, KCCA fans could still reflect on Usama Arafat’s brace that handed them a huge victory while Bul could serenade their goal scorer Jerome Kirya to complete a double over the champions.

There were so many split loyalties in the stands but only Villa feeling empty.

Bul found allies in the stands draped in blue (Villa) and yellow (KCCA) to push them over the line over a ‘common enemy’ Vipers.

Thereafter, what was left in the voice boxes of Vipers and Bul joined decibels to back KCCA. To them, there is a title on the line.

Implosion

The crestfallen faces on Villa fans and administrators said it all - another trophy-less is on the horizon.

Jogoos Serbian boss Dusan Stojanovic did what he has done all season - assemble a ball possessing and counter-attacking side - only to be let down by a profligate attack force for the umpteenth time.

Under the temporary floodlights, Patrick Kakande, Umar Lutalo and Charles Lwanga froze before KCCA found a way late in the game.

For coach Abdallah Mubiru, it was another platform to display how much he has improved the team he found in the relegation zone during the near-fatal Sergio Traguil experiment.

Bul in control

On paper, the Kasasiro Boys can still catch Bul whose coach Abbey Kikomeko was missing at Namboole due to suspension.

They need to be ruthless against Mbarara City, Busoga United and Gaddafi, with the latter three still having a lot to play for.

It was apparent that Vipers lacked direction from the bench as they continued to gamble with interim coaches Richard Wasswa and Fred Muhumuza.

To lose home and away to Bul is an indictment on the Venoms not deserving more than they have managed at present.