Fufa cracks whip on Express FC yobs after attack on refs

When the Federation of Uganda Football Associations (Fufa) decided to suspend all Express FC matches in the Uganda Premier League (UPL) until further notice, some people suggested that the club should play its matches behind closed doors.

This followed events last Friday, October 27, when assistant referee Fahad Ssekayiba was violently tackled by suspected Express fans. This was after Express’one-all draw with UPDF FC in Bombo. Notably, some people insisted it is unfair to punish Express for actions of individuals.

Therefore, calling off their games, starting with the one against SC Villa that was slated for Wednesday at the Muteesa II stadium in Wankulukuku was seen as unjustified. However, because of how the recent act of hooliganism played out, and the manner in which it was all orchestrated, Fufa, as should the entire football fraternity, view it as not only being the peak of grave incidents.

But pure organized crime that is a threat to the development of football in the country. Decolas Kiiza, the deputy Fufa CEO in charge of football, said: “You see, the guys that assaulted the referee, we understand were in three buses, one of which blocked off the road from Bombo, to intercept the referees vehicle. Two vans/buses carrying suspected Express fans also blocked off the referees vehicle from behind, from which their attackers flung to assault them so badly, as seen in the pictures, where referee Ssekayiba was bleeding profusely from the head.”

Based on that, Fufa contacted Express to help with finding the culprits. When the Express chairman, Suubi Kiwanuka, younger brother to the attorney general, Kiryowa Kiwanuka, was contacted for comment, he said that they were waiting for all kinds of leads on the matter from Fufa, to see how they would aid in solving this problem.

This was in stark contrast to the earlier communication from Express as a club, in which they denied it was their fans who had attacked Ssekayiba. This takes us back to 2019, when former Express captain and coach George Ssimwogerere was attacked in the same way Ssekayiba was attacked.

Ssimwogerere was returning from Bombo, where his side had lost to SC Villa, before he was waylaid by a section of Express fans. Ssimwogerere recalls informing the club management about it, but little or no action was taken, yet his attackers were well known around the club, including the taxi they travelled in.

Put simply, Ssimwogerere’s account of events suggests the laxity that is in Ugandan football to eliminate hooliganism. Last season, Villa were banished from playing at Wankulukuku, and ordered to play their league games in Lira, after a section of their fans assaulted club officials and players of Wakiso Giants.

But one of the preconditions Villa were given, was presenting the culprits. To-date, none has, and it is presumed they still watch games, which is a risk to others. This suggests Fufa’s lack of seriousness on eliminating hooliganism.

In their defence, Ronnie Kalema, Fufa executive member in charge of football development, said being a crime, police has the duty to arrest and charge the criminals, and not Fufa. But isn’t it the same Fufa that exposed and shamed individuals involved in match-fixing, which is a crime, too?

Nonetheless, Kalema said that with the enacting of the new sports law, hooliganism should be no more. Section 64 of the Act implicates a person for acts of violence and hooliganism. The penalty is a fine not exceeding an equivalent of Shs 9.6 million or a sentence not exceeding 10 years or both.

According to Kiiza, their investigation to ensure that football is not brought into disrepute will be extended to getting footage from the on-road cameras manned by the police, to find the criminals.