The grey areas between witchcraft and supremacy

World over in football, superstition contributes a significant role in a team and player’s success.

In Uganda, this goes a step further with the use of witchcraft or Juju to influence the outcome of matches. For years, football administrators, players and fans have all been accused of getting involved in the unholy act and a number of them have been caught red-handed.

The latest incident happened on Friday, April 19 at Masindi stadium when Kitara FC hosted Kitende-based Vipers SC. The visitors defeated their hosts 2-0 to jump to the summit of the UPL league table.

During the match, a Vipers player complained to referee Mashood Ssali about a Kitara defender who allegedly had fetishes in his shorts. Amid confusion, Ssali ordered the implicated player to go off the pitch and remove voodoo before he could be allowed to return to the pitch.

The said player obliged, removed them, and returned. Thereafter, Vipers physiotherapist Micheal Lule spotted a ball boy planting suspect stuff at their goalposts. Lule rushed and removed the purported fetishes and displayed them before the crowd.

Earlier on Sunday April 15 before the two teams battled in the quarterfinal of the Stanbic Uganda Cup, Vipers officials refused to use the usual gate used by visiting teams to access the stadium. The Wakiso-based side preferred to use the same gate the hosts use, to which the stadium management vehemently refused. Kitara always uses its own entry into the stadium and subject the visiting sides to use another entry.

After bitter exchange, Kitara officials allowed Vipers to use the same gate. In this particular match, Kitara went on to eliminate Vipers 5-4 after post-match penalties.

History of Juju in Uganda football

Back in June, 1991 before kick-off of the Express-Villa third round match of the Uganda Cup at Wankulukuku stadium, the Jogoos were caught up in a superstition crisis.  

The stadium was filled to capacity, but SC Villa players were nowhere to be seen. Fifteen minutes after the slated kick-off, SC Villa players surfaced at the stadium using the rear gate, something which was unusual and many wondered why Villa did that.

As if that was not controversial enough, Villa players also opted not to occupy the visiting team’s dressing rooms. The Jogoos were not yet done; before kick-off, Villa players knelt and circled in the centre of the pitch for prayers and also refused to go to dressing rooms during recess.

At the end of the entire drama, Express eliminated Villa in a penalty shoot-out after 1-1 draw. Way back in 1981, Express lost 2-3 to Wandegeya in the second round of the Uganda Cup. But before the game, Express were convinced that Wandegeya had used its connections and planted Juju at the stadium pavilion entry.

They were advised by their officials to use the rear gate (opposite what is now called park yard). In the end, Express’ loss to the bottom side was incomprehensible.

Added to this drama, SC Villa fans had a ‘miracle’ he-goat in the 1990s. It was nicknamed Kibirige and its first appearance at Nakivubo stadium was during the match against Zimbabwean side Caps United in April, 1997.

Kibirige was always tied a few metres away from the goal. During the game while the score was goalless, the Zimbabweans approached the referee to have the goat taken out of the stadium. The referee obliged and stopped play before the goat was dragged out and locked away.

A few minutes later, SC Villa conceded the first goal; then the second, before the third as the visitors pulled away. For sure, witchcraft does not guarantee good results. African countries are known for the religious faith in juju yet none of them has ever gone past the quarterfinals of the World Cup.

Teams ought to concede that at times, opponents are technically superior and more organised. In modern football its only well-drilled and organised teams that tend to dominate.

Witchcraft has no business in this beautiful game!

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