Lira, (UG):- The President of Uganda’s Football Federation – FUFA, Eng Moses Hashim Magogo has announced that Lango Province is not required to compensate for the damaged FUFA Drum trophy.
Magogo said this during a consultative meeting with football stakeholders including Chairpersons of District Football Associations (DFA) and District Sports Officers (DSOs) from the Lango sub-region held at Lira Hotel on Friday 19th July 2024.
The meeting which featured FUFA Officials from the secretariat aimed to discuss the challenges and opportunities of establishing these clubs and fostering stronger ties between clubs and their communities.
Among the issues discussed was the FUFA Drum Trophy won by the Lango Province team that reportedly got damaged in a recent road accident and there were rumours that Lango could part with 30 million shillings to pay for a trophy.
When responding to the fear that Lango had, Moses Magogo allayed the fears of the people of Langlo that as a federation would not release the prize money because of the trophy
“The bigger picture of the drum is to ensure that we have a community-owned football club rolling at the professional level that’s the Uganda Premier League, to take care of all the talents of this region. Having won the drum, we have also received information that there was an accident, and in the process of the accident, people died,” Magogo said, adding; “But at the same time, we were told that the trophy was also shut up. That’s very unfortunate.”
Magogo said there had been information that the federation would not release the prize money because of the trophy. “That’s not true. Actually, this was the last time this trophy was going to be used in the Fufa drum, because Fufa has created new trophies, not only for the Fufa Drum but also for other competitions. So we will not be interested in making sure that a sharded trophy is replaced,” He explained.
The FUFA boss also said the federation will make efforts together with the administrations in Lira and Otuke districts to ensure that they get 100% compliance of all the nine districts of Lango to be playing football.
Speaking to DailyExpress in an exclusive interview, Abel Ogwang, the Public relations officer for Lango Province 4th Edition said Magogo’s pronouncement is a big relief on the side of the province management of the fourth edition.
“This stance helped to dispel any unfounded claims suggesting otherwise on various social media platforms and radio stations that there will be a fine of about 30 million shillings,” Ogwang said.
He explained that the move has not only averted potential financial burdens on the province but also highlighted the humane approach adopted by FUFA in addressing the situation.
“But as management, we had written to Fofa and we are glad that we received the feedback when the Fufa president was here in Lira. It’s a big relief to the management because everyone felt indebted but like everyone knows what happened, it was an accident which has no formula and no one can predict it but it has relieved the province management so much.”
Owang also noted that as the current holder of the FUFA Drum trophy, Lango Province is now self-confident in defending their title with renewed enthusiasm and determination.
How Fufa Drum Trophy got damaged
The trophy was won by Lango Province on 23rd March 2024 after beating Busoga Province 2-1 in the finals of the 4th edition of the FIFA drum played at MTN Philip Omondi Stadium, after which it was brought to Lango and welcomed at the Mayors’ Gardens, Lira city.
The speaker of the council of Owitong of Lango Willy Omodo Kagera received the trophy on behalf of the Lango cultural institution and handed it over to Lira City Council mayor, Sam Atul who kept it in his office.
However, according to a report, some leaders of Lango province picked up the trophy from the mayor’s office and have been traversing Lango Sub-region in a trophy tour.
On 25th May 2024, a Coaster vehicle number UBL 851Z belonging to Dokolo School of Nursing and Midwifery which was transporting Lango province players from a friendly match in Dokolo district had a head-on collision with a Lorry Fuso number UBA 200J in Abutadi along Lira-Dokolo highway, killing three people on the spot.
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