Mandela fought off pressure from Mengo to return SC Villa to the hands of the true supporters.

Mandela has come along with him no nonsense forces in Muhammad Bazirengedde, Engineer Ben Misagga, Brenda and Nambalirwa Kawuma.

The trio are independent voices who do not dance to the tunes of the current FUFA executive headed by Moses Magogo.

Uganda Premier League UPL has been seen as a board aimed at promoting the interests of FUFA rather than individual clubs.

The board is chaired by Arinaitwe Rugyendo and he is deputized by David Serebe and supported by Humphrey Mandu, Fred Guy Kawuma and Kibazo Peter.

This team has been questioned by some elements within clubs but because their clubs do not command a strong voice in the boardroom, they have found themselves toothless to bite.

Hope Diana Nyago, the former Jinja SSS headmistress and Busoga United chairperson Diana Hope Nyago was a vibrant and vocal person in the UPL meetings.

His views did not go down well with folks running club football. Nyago was seen as a threat to the status quo at Mengo, some suggesting she wanted to contest against Magogo in this year’s FUFA elections.

She has since been moved away from Jinja SSS and equally replaced at the Busoga United club by Hassan Takoowa. Clubs have remained ‘loyal’ to the powers be at Mengo.

Mandela’s arrival has come with hope for voiceless clubs. The SC Villa chief commands respect not only Uganda’s most successful club but across football because of his contribution to the game.

Mandela’s appointment at SC Villa will reawaken the VEK (Villa, Express AND KCCA) relationship. If negotiated, they will command a strong voice and could influence organised clubs like Vipers SC, Police FC and URA.

FUFA and UPL are composed of mainly corporate people who have little knowledge on how club football plays out in Uganda.

First, Mandela and his group will have to push for a strong representation for clubs at the UPL board and even at FUFA. Magogo is said to have had a hand in pushing for a candidate loyal to him at SC Villa.

With the arrival of the SC Villa legend, candidates like Medard Ssegona and Denis Ssebugwawo Mbidde stepped out of the race, leaving the FUFA chief without a choice.

The new development is no good news to the folks at Mengo as they will have pressure from four corners of the league.

There will certainly be a fight for control of clubs with a new group hungry for change in the governing of club football. FUFA and UPL must find a way to deal with the new group at SC Villa.

Engineer Misagga has been at crossroads with FUFA under Magogo, questioning the absolute powers the federation has over clubs.

The sticking point for them will be taming Misagga and the group at SC Villa from influencing other clubs from joining their web.

However, the FUFA and UPL board know the big question is going to be around the board who are composed of people who have not managed at a high level.

Then there is the sticking issue of Florence Nakiwala Kiyingi who many at the club level believe she is representing yet she is not attached to one.

Critics of Kiyingi claim she has let down clubs in the boardroom at critical times, the push for Covid-19 relief being one of them.

It remains to be seen how FUFA will deal with pressure from SC Villa who will certainly not give in to everything put before them.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7LBoR_-oQSY&t=19s