Newly elected Member of Parliament for Budiope East and also reigning president of the Federation of Uganda Football Association (FUFA) Moses Hassim Magogo has said he will fight for the top position in Uganda’s football for the third time.
Speaking on Tuesday April 6, during his quarterly media interface at Jevine Hotel in Lubaga, Magogo said: “I will stand again as President of FUFA. I want to consolidate the gains worked upon since 2013 when I came to office. I also want to see Uganda Cranes qualify for the FIFA World Cup.”
He claimed that being in Parliament will make him serve football better because he will directly be able to table the issues concerning football on the floor of Parliament without involving any third party.
But Magogo’s growing list of responsibilities that include membership to the Confederation of African Football (CAF), Member of Parliament and a Committee member, and a husband, ate leading some to wonder how successful he can be in holding more offices.
But Magogo has already prepared answers to these questions.
He told journalists that: “I know how to programme and balance my time. In fact, football should celebrate being an MP as we need to discuss football matters in the national parliament,” he explained.
Magogo added that there is urgent need for the bridge of a good relationship between all sport activities and the central governments which he says he can effectively do while holding the all the three dockets.
“There are four things we as football people need from government; First is the law, infrastructure, funding and polices.” Magogo said.
Magogo’s current term of office will officially expire on August 31, 2021. This is the second term since coming into office in 2013 when he replaced Dr. Lawrence Mulindwa who decided not to stand for a third term.
However, Magogo’s venture into active politics where he was elected MP for Budiope East in the 2021 January polls some thought he would not stand again as FUFA President though no rule calls him to do so.
The next term’s FUFA elections will take place in August during the General Assembly. Magogo has been unopposed in all the elections he has stood as FUFA President.
Key of Magogo’s achievements at the helm of FUFA presidency was restoration of sanity in the game’s administration from divisionism and in-fighting.
Magogo says he has also worked to clean the image of the beautiful game and was able to lure more sponsors on board, increased competitions among which include Women Elite, Women super league, beach soccer, Odilo (U-15 league), FUFA Drum (Inter-provinces) and others.
It would be dishonest for one not to point out the Uganda Cranes qualification to two successive AFCON finals in 2017 and 2019 as well as other junior competitions CECAFA U-15, U-17 and U-20.
