Ivan Kigozi
Embattled Uganda Cranes striker Steven Mukwala has accused a Ugandan football agent for allegedly bribing Ghanaian journalists so as they tarnish his name.
The incident comes after a Ghanaian journalist reported that Mukwala who has had a poor performance at Ghanaian champions Asante Kotoko, requested permission from the club to return to Uganda and pick a valuable item.
It is alleged by the Ghanaian insider that Mukwala attributed his poor performance at Asante Kotoko to the absence of the unidentified item.
However the striker was so quick to refute the claims saying like any other player, he is having a dry spell where he has gone four games without scoring. He says it’s normal and it’s not the first time he has gone four games without scoring a single goal.
However, sources close to the player say, Mukwala says a one Ronald Santos Niwagira is the mastermind behind the reports suggesting that he needs his lucky charm from Uganda so as to score goals for Asante Kotoko.
It is understood that Niwagira, a football agent from Mbarara, played a vital role to keep Mukwala’s transfer to Asante Kotoko alive.
Niwagira kept contact with Asante Kotoko and continuously lied to the club officials that Mukwala was also a transfer target for big clubs like Mamelodi Sundowns and TP Mazembe which was not true.
Mukwala almost signed for a club in Thailand in Asia but an agreement between him and the an unidentified club wasn’t reached upon before he demanded so much when it came to sign on fees.
Niwagira already threatened Mukwala that he will not succeed at Asante Kotoko because of his hypocrisy since he didn’t appreciate his efforts in his transfer to the Ghanaian club.
Niwagira laments that Mukwala never gave him a single coin and didn’t even say a mere thank you when he completed the transfer.
The controversial football agent also says Mukwala is bound to fail like other strikers Juma Balinya, Brian Aheebwa and Shaban Muhammad who turned their back against him after securing transfers for them.
Pressure continues to mount on the former Vipers and URA FC striker as Asante Kotoko fans continue to demand goals from him since he was signed to replace Cameroonian attacker Frank Mbella Etounga who transfered to Egypt.
But how did it come to this? I think we lack professionalism in the way we do business! Uganda should grow up