The Federation of Ugandan Football Association (FUFA) has fined and suspended three top-flight league coaches for bringing the game into disrepute.
Mike Mutebi (KCCA), Fred Kajjoba (Bright Stars) and Sam Ssimbwa (URA) were handed financial fines after they were found guilty of misconduct by the country’s football governing body disciplinary committee.
Two of the gaffers, Mutebi and Ssimbwa, will be missing from the bench for the next four matches after making statements that suggested bribery and match-fixing exist in Ugandan football.
“Coaches Mike Mutebi of KCCA FC, Sam Simbwa (URA FC) and Fred Kajoba (Bright FC) have been handed financial fines (UGX 2M each) for bringing the game into disrepute. Simbwa and Mutebi have also banned for 4 matches each. Mutebi’s matter has been forwarded to the FUFA Match Integrity Committee,” a statement from FUFA reads.
Earlier this month the three coaches were summoned by the FUFA Ethics and Integrity Committee to explain themselves as their claims plunged domestic football into an unwanted place.
Mutebi made a statement in December last year indicating the league titles for the past 20 years had been fixed.
“All the titles that have been won in the last 20 years have been fixed. It is not only KCCA- Villa, Express, URA, and others. It is known but because some of you are not candid and frank. You know these things but fear. I am honest.”
“Yes, there used to be a budget in those years not only at KCC. This was found out on the continent where we were not aided. It’s a fact. If maybe my employers feel wrong they can sack me. It has been general and you people know it. Someone had to come out,” Mutebi was quoted.
For Ssimbwa, he made two controversial statements after the one all draw against Kirinya Jinja SS.
First, it was a tribal statement where the coach told the journalists in the press conference that they are “Basogas (one of the ethnic communities in the country) and that’s why they don’t speak about poor officiating at Kirinya Jinja SSS FC’s home ground.”
The coach then turned to the referees and alleged that: “Either they are bribed or place bets against his team.” Before the game, he had told a group of journalists that he doesn’t release his line-ups to media early because ‘they bet his games.’
Kajjoba on the other hand, led his players off the pitch in the loss to Tooro United FC at Buhinga Stadium.
