Former Assistant Inspector General of Police Asan Kasingye has hit back at FUFA President Moses Magogo following a public disagreement over the marketing of Ugandan players and the state of local football.
The disagreement started after reports that Vipers SC had sold midfielder Allan Okello for Shs4.4 billion, prompting Kasingye to question why Uganda has struggled to secure more lucrative international deals for its players.
Kasingye argued that Uganda has talented footballers but lacks effective marketing strategies to help them attract bigger opportunities abroad.
“We need to learn how to market our players in Uganda. Football is a multi-business venture but we’re on 1% battery power,” Kasingye said.
Magogo responded by saying the growth of Ugandan football also depends on fans supporting local competitions instead of spending most of their time following foreign leagues.
He argued that many Ugandans contribute to the struggles of domestic football by giving more attention to international clubs than local teams.
The exchange later became personal after Magogo reportedly challenged Kasingye to a televised debate over the issues affecting Ugandan football.
Kasingye questioned why Magogo wanted a TV debate now, recalling a previous disagreement between the two in 2022.
“You want to debate me on TV? Really? Am I now worthy of your audience?” Kasingye asked.
He claimed that during the 2022 dispute, Magogo held a press conference where he was not given a chance to present his side of the story.
Kasingye said he had requested an opportunity for journalists to hear his response but his request was ignored.
He also rejected suggestions that his criticism of FUFA was driven by ambitions to become the federation president.
“You think I am interested in your chair? Forget it. Listen to our views,” he said.
Kasingye maintained that his aim was to highlight challenges affecting Ugandan football and propose ideas that could help improve the game.
He defended fans who support foreign clubs, saying following teams like Arsenal does not mean someone is against local football.
“If I support Arsenal while also supporting SC Villa, that does not make me an enemy of Ugandan football,” he said.
Kasingye said a televised debate would allow him to raise questions about the management, commercialisation and development of football in Uganda.
He promised to question issues including the handling of complimentary tickets given to Ugandan football officials during the 2018 World Cup in Russia.
He also raised concerns about the transfer of former Uganda Police player Jimmy Kulaba to a Kenyan club, saying such matters require accountability.
Kasingye further mentioned an alleged INTERPOL file related to a corruption scandal involving the Uganda Cranes in Marrakech, Morocco.
He insisted that the biggest challenges facing Ugandan football are not fans supporting foreign clubs but weaknesses in the administration and management of the game.
“The enemies of Ugandan local football are not those who support Arsenal, ManU, Liverpool or Chelsea. They are those who run Ugandan football,” Kasingye said.
The exchange between the two football leaders has reignited debate over whether Uganda’s football problems come from poor marketing, limited investment, lack of fan support or management challenges.
