By Lubulwa Edrine
There is brewing tension among supporters and well-wishers of Mawokota County Football Team following a secret deal that awarded the tender of gate collection of the teams’ home games to Kampala Lord Mayor Erias Lukwago.
According to our sources, Mawokota faithfuls have tasked the new county Chief (Kayima) Sarah Nannono and Kammengo Ggombolola chief Steven Muliika Matovu to reconsider their decision to allow Lukwago and his allies to politicise the famous Masaza Cup organised by Buganda Kingdom in the guise of manning gates.
Although details of the deal remain sketchy, our sources indicate that Lukwago will pocket more than half of all gate collections on Mawokota’s match-days at the expense of the team’s wellbeing.
Lukwago’s saloon car
for instance, at the game held at the country stadium in Buwama on Sunday July 7th against Busiro County, at least 16,000 spectators were present and Lukwago’s team was seen manning the gates with the help of Uganda Bouncers Association. With each ticket going for UGX 10,000, at least UGX160m was collected.
“The Buwama Stadium was recently upgraded with a fence and it is now safe and easy to manage crowds coming to watch games. I was surprised that Kayima and Muliika brought in a third party to handle collections when we all know that these collections are very important for maintaining the team,” said one source.
Critics say this is an indictment on the beautiful game which is supposed to unite rather than create divisions.
“We are divided already. This deal has politics written all over it. Lukwago is not a football administrator. We all know that Lukwago has presidential ambitions. We all know that Muliika belongs to the Katonga Group [led by Besigye and Lukwago] and they want to front him to contest against Yusuf Nsibambi [of Najjanankumbi Group] in Mawokota South,” said one fan.
Muliika, who brokered the deal
During the Sunday game, fans were overheard warning Kayima to stop politicising their team or else they would abandon it. Kayima Nannono arrived at the stadium under heavy protection from bouncers, police officers and army officers and she was seen walking close with former area MP John Bosco Lubyayi, who was coordinating her security.
Political analysts say that while Lukwago has no roots in Mawokota he is originally from Buddu this deal is meant to boost his financial and political muscle as we get closer to the 2026 general elections where he is expected to stand for election as Uganda President for the opposition FDC.
A saloon car with stickers of Lukwago’s potential president bid was seen at the stadium gates serving as a sales point for the tickets.
After the game, Lukwago’s team led by one Yusuf Mutyaba joined Kayima and Muliika at the Buwama-Musaale Gombolola headquarters to share the proceeds. The teams left this place late in the night.
Lukwago has no known history in sports management and critics believe this is basically a political and financial manourvre on his part while it is selfish on the part of Kayima Nannono and Muliika.
Mawokota is in Masengere Group of the annual Masaza Cup where it will play 5 home games. However, after Mawokota’s second game ended in a draw, some supporters were heard pointing fingers at Kayima and the Team Manager Counsel Denis Bugaya to put their house in order or else they would abandon the team.
“We want to warn Kayima and Bugaya and his committee that if this politicization of our team continues, we are going to boycott the home games or we will pay Shs 3,000 for the games,” warned one fan.
Our repeated calls to Kayima went unanswered but when we contacted Bugaya, he noted that as Team Manager, his role is to ensure the wellbeing of the team, not financial management.
“Our roles are very clearly stipulated by the Masaza organising committee. I have no idea about finances. Your questions should be directed to the treasurer or team chairman,” he said.
Lukwago’s wingman Yusuf Mutyaba
Meanwhile, the chairman of Mawokota Football team Ronald Kavuma said Kayima’s decision to bring politics into football had equally shocked him.
“It is just strange that our leaders decided to bring politicians to man gate collections. For the past four years, my team has been in charge of all the gate collections and the county leadership would only get accountability,” said Ronald Kavuma, the chairman Mawokota Football Team.
“But the new county leadership took away this role without even informing us. But remember we are the ones who have the expenditure burden of paying players and the technical personnel and managing welfare,” he added.
