Back in 2010, when Fifa advised Fufa against directly running Uganda’s top-tier football league, it was a bold move meant to help the Uganda Super League (USL) evolve into one of the strongest competitions in the region and eventually, on the continent.
The idea was simple; clubs would take charge of running, promoting, and marketing their product, while Fufa retained a supervisory role. For a very short while, that structure worked.
Ahead of the 2010/2011 season, a new league board and a professional secretariat were constituted with full-time staff. The league finally had uniform kick-off times at 4 pm, with Tuesdays and Fridays as designated matchdays.
Then came the big financial boost with global broadcaster GTV and later SuperSport signed on to televise matches, Bell Lager joined as title sponsors.
For the first time in decades, the future of Ugandan league football looked bright. The product was attractive, the organization promising, and optimism high.
But that promise quickly turned to chaos. During the 2011/2012 season, Fufa under Lawrence Mulindwa clashed with the USL board led by Express FC’s Kavuma Kabenge and SC Villa’s Fred Muwema over control of funds from SuperSport and Bell Lager.
The dispute wasn’t just about money, it was about power. The funders, bound by contracts with the USL and its member clubs, sided with the league. Fufa felt sidelined and powerless as though the league without them in control couldn’t exist.
The season was completed, but the relationship between the two sides was shattered. By 2012/2013, the conflict had escalated so badly that even government efforts to mediate failed. Determined to reclaim authority over the league, Fufa created the Fufa Super League (FSL), leading to the bizarre situation of two top-flight leagues running simultaneously.
KCC FC (now KCCA FC) chose the Fufa version, while most other clubs featured in both leagues. The absurdity reached its peak when Fufa crowned KCCA FC champions at Lugogo on a Thursday, and the USL crowned Maroons FC champions in Luzira the very next day.
Fufa eventually won the political war. The FSL survived and was rebranded as the Uganda Premier League (UPL). But that victory came at an enormous cost. SuperSport packed its bags, Uganda Breweries (Bell Lager) pulled out, and the credibility of Ugandan league football collapsed. The league has never fully recovered.
Today, Fufa projects an image that the UPL is an independent entity with its own board and secretariat managing day-to-day operations. But the events leading to the 2025/2026 season tell a different story. The federation’s decision to impose a new league format without genuine consultation exposed the UPL’s lack of autonomy.
Except for Fufa President Moses Magogo and a few officials trying to defend the changes, no one from the UPL board or secretariat came forward to justify the reforms. Their silence spoke volumes, either they didn’t understand the reforms or they didn’t support them. And how could they defend what they neither shaped nor owned?
Fufa must not only empower but also trust the UPL to manage its affairs. The federation’s role should remain supervisory, providing guidance, oversight, and regulation, not control.
Fufa already oversees the Big League and regional competitions. Adding the UPL to its direct management only breeds inefficiency and stifles innovation.
For 13 years, Fufa have spoken about professionalizing and commercializing the league without deliberate action. Fufa has done more talking than walking when it comes to developing Ugandan league football. The confusion surrounding the new format is just the latest example of misplaced priorities.
Had Fufa been consistent and intentional over the last decade, Uganda’s league could today boast strong sponsorships, stable partnerships, and clubs capable of nurturing players for the global market while competing favorably on the continent.
It is not too late for Fufa to change course; to truly empower the UPL, respect structures, and act as a regulator rather than a ruler. A proud father celebrates his children’s growth; he doesn’t stunt it. Fufa must let go for the UPL to grow.