As the Uganda Cranes prepare to battle Senegal in the AFCON last 16, there are mixed reactions from Ugandans on news that the players are on strike over their allowances with some branding Federation of Uganda Football Association (FUFA) president Eng. Moses Magogo a greedy man.

Yesterday afternoon, social media was awash with rumours that the players had refused to participate in any training session until their allowances are paid.

FUFA later confirmed the rumours in a statement released on their website but defended themselves saying, “On the 2nd July 2019, The Uganda Cranes did not undergo training after players opted not to despite a training programme released by the technical team.

FUFA has since engaged the players and confirmed that a complaint about emoluments as their cause of action. FUFA wishes to affirm that matters of the rights and obligations of the members of the Uganda Cranes at the AFCON 2019 inclusive of the allowances and bonuses of the team were discussed and agreed upon by the team and were put into a document called the Code of Conduct. Every member of the team signed the Code of Conduct before being allowed into the camp.”

In the same statement, FUFA released a financial structure on how each member of the Uganda Cranes will be paid in the Code of Conduct as follows;

Item                                                                                                USD

Camp in Uganda per day                                                            14 days 30

Foreign Camp (Abu Dhabi & Cairo) per day           53 days 150

Each Draw in the Group Stages                                                 2,000

Each Win in the Group Stages                                                   4,000

R16 to R8 (Winning @ R16)                                        1              5,000

R8 to R4 (Winning @ Quarter Final)                        1              7,000

R4 to R2 (Winning @ Semi Final)                              1              9,000

Winning the Final                                                        1              14,630

FUFA added that they have already paid the following amounts to each member

420 USD for the Camp in Uganda (14 days)

5,100 USD for the Foreign Camp (34 days ending 30th June 2019)

4,000 USD for the Winning Bonus of the DR Congo match

2,000 USD for the Draw against Zimbabwe

Far and beyond the Code of Conduct, FUFA has also paid extra 2,780 USD to each player for camp morale and 300 USD for the International friendly match against Ivory Coast.

“As of 2nd July 2019, each player has received up to 14,600 USD (App 55m UGX) already with more daily allowances and winning bonuses awaiting to be earned and paid on time.

According to FUFA, there is currently nothing owing to the players as per the signed Code of Conduct and more than 2 Billion UGX has been paid to this item alone.

This matter has been explained to the players and instead they have opted to renegotiate the terms of the Code of Conduct after qualifying to the round of 16 leading to the decision not to undergo training.

FUFA believes the players will respect the signed Code of Conduct and this matter will be resolved like many others before,” the statement from the country’s football governing body further stated.

MAGOGO IS A GREEDY MAN WHO DOES NOT RESPECT CONTRACTS

According to former SC Villa chairman Eng. Ben Misagga, Magogo is a man who does not respect contracts, “I have been vindicated, I have been posting and saying, Agreement signed with Magogo must be witnessed by the Bishop & Mufti, that boy doesn’t keep his word, players are not sick to claim what they have already gotten, Magogo is a habitual cheat who doesn’t respect contracts.”

Later when president Museveni’s Senior Press Secretary Don Wanyama posted that, “From what I gather, if the players refuse to train today (and by the way senior players like Onyango are against the strike), @OfficialFUFA president @Moses Magogo will have no option but write to @CAF_Online to withdraw Uganda from @TotalAFCON2019. Let greed not kill the game.”

Misagga answered him saying, “You haven’t read the last chapter of Magogo book

That strike is designed by Moses, no player can strike without Magogo consent. Ask Afande Nakalema you will get the true story, always at the peak of Crane campaigns FA has been in those games of intimidating Ugandans.”

The Nyamityobora club chairman added, “That’s how deceptive helm of FUFA do things, how can players strike when they have received what’s due to them. For you who don’t know Magogo, the strike is his design to intimidate the Government giving him more money, his “family” is in luxury in Cairo and Alexandria.”

“To those who don’t know Magogo, that strike is designed by moses to intimidate Ugandans& President M7 in sending baskets of money to him. Magogo uses a player I know to cause those hiccups, I was with him at Villa in the early days of my times. CAF 1.1 billion UGX 4.5 zadawa,” Misagga asked.

Misagga added that Magogo is busy enjoying the Cranes money with his bonkmate Della Ssali, “The “family” is enjoying the 4.5 billions as the cranes Camp strike. When you have a mufere incharge that’s what goes on. No one wants to say the truth. Magogo’s trick Now is to intimidate Ugandans and the HE into giving him extra money for the “family” to enjoy.”

By Doreen Menezer