Prime
Third term calling for Fufa’s Magogo
Sights set. Moses Magogo announced his bid to run for FUFA presidency for a third term yesterday. PHOTO/JOHN BATANUDDE
What you need to know:
- Big odds. With his second term coming to an end on August 31, 2021, Moses Magogo hopes that he can clinch a third and with that see Uganda qualify for World Cup in 2026.
Eng. Moses Magogo wants to take Uganda to its first World Cup in 2026. This forms the Fufa president’s hunt for a third term which was launched at a media interaction yesterday at Jevine Hotel in Rubaga, not far from the federation’s offices.
“I will stand again as President of Fufa. I want to consolidate the gains worked upon since 2013 when I came to office. I also want to see Uganda Cranes qualify for the Fifa World Cup,” Magogo said.
“We have done our first phase, second phase and we are now going for the third phase that will include qualifying for the World Cup.”
Following the failure to make the next Africa Cup of Nations for a third straight tournament, Uganda will start their push for the 2022 World Cup in June.
With that in mind, Magogo, 42, hinted on the need to overhaul the team with an eye on 2026. There, Africa will have nine in the 48-team tournament that will be expanded from the current 32.
“The players that are past their best should retire. By 2026, we would have achieved the technical agenda that we are outing soon,” he said.
For Magogo, his current term runs till August 31, 2021 and the electoral process to identify the 88 delegates who will decide the next leader of the country’s biggest games is underway.
The Budiope East Member of Parliament-elect has served two four-year elective terms since taking charge in 2013. In both cases, he was unopposed at the ballot. There are no term limits.
“We will organise free and fair elections,” Magogo vowed. The Fufa electoral committee was inaugurated by him in February and is led by Mathias Bwire as chairperson.
The other members are; Rita Aliguma, Joram Katende, Dennis Ojwee and Richard Mpaka.
Outgoing Vision Group chief executive officer Robert Kabushenga, Makindye West MP Allan Ssewanyana and Proline director Mujib Kasule among others have had unsuccessful bids.
All failed to meet the prerequisites in the electoral code especially those that demand one to get the backing of six members associations and having been in football administration for seven of the 10 years preceding an election.
Last year, Nyamityobora patron Ali Sekatawa flirted with running for the Fufa presidency but has since gone cold. He is the Director Legal and Corporate Affairs at the Petroleum Authority of Uganda (PAU).
How will Magogo balance being MP and Fufa president? “Now that I am in parliament, I think I will be able to serve football better because I will be able to table our issues on the floor of parliament,” he retorted.
Often referred to as a the ‘Historic President’ by his supporters for being at the helm when Uganda ended her 39-year absence from the Afcon finals, Magogo has been in football administration since 1998 when he joined lower division Mutundwe Lions as club treasurer.
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