Kabaka Mutebi to grace Gomba, Bulemeezi grand finale 

The Saza (county) of Gomba will be hoping to win a record sixth title, when they face two-time champions, Bulemeezi in the Masaza Cup final this Saturday, October 28 at the Muteesa II stadium in Wankulukuku.

Like in the past, it is expected to be a sell-out crowd, and the Kabaka Ronald Muwenda Mutebi will be the chief guest. This year’s edition will be the nineteenth since the Masaza Cup tournament was revived, back in 2004. In many ways, it is a tournament that has come of age especially in as far as its popularity is concerned.

However, this year’s tournament has had its major talking points in the run-up to the final. First of all, the fact that Gomba is in the final, points to the consistency in the management of the team. Frank Ssekandi, a commentator on issues regarding the Masaza Cup since its revival, says it is not by accident that a team like Gomba has been dominant over the years.

“It comes down to proper management, that is able to raise the required resources to attract the best players around,” Ssekandi said.

When Gomba reached the knockout stages, they beat Singo both at home and away. They registered a 4-1 aggregate win. In the semifinals, they dismissed one of their most fiercest rivals, Buddu, 3-1 on aggregate. The passion Gomba has from its fans has been tremendous over the years, which set the team on more winning streaks than any other team.

However, that is not to say that other teams do not have fans. But also, the rivalry that has been built up between the teams, especially between Gomba, Bulemeezi and Buddu, is a catalyst to maintain top standards.

Yet, this competition for success has also had its negative impact. This year’s tournament, like many others before, has been marred by refereeing controversies. Both accusations and counter-accusations have been traded by teams about how results are influenced through bribing of referees. Apparently, there is a desperate need to win at all cost.

Ssekandi does not feel that should be the case. But he also hopes that the management of the tournament can do due diligence and investigate these issues. Sulaiman Ssejjengo, the chairman of the Masaza Cup organizing committee said that they have not been able to find any smoking gun.

But match-fixing is surely a matter they cannot afford to have in these games because it would defeat the whole purpose of the tournament. Nonetheless, Ssejjengo said that he has followed keenly the tournament and oftentimes, the complaints that have reached his office, have lacked substance and evidence.

On other occasions, Ssejjengo said referees also make legitimate mistakes even though sometimes the fans simply do not understand the laws of the game.

PAST WINNERS
2004: Gomba
2005: Mawokota
2006: Kooki
2007: Mawokota

2008: Kyadondo
2009: Gomba
2010: Not held
2011: Buluuli
2012: Bulemeezi

2013: Mawokota
2014: Gomba
2015: Singo
2016: Buddu
2017: Gomba

2018: Singo
2019: Bulemeezi
2020: Gomba
2021: Buddu
2022: Busiro