FUFA President Hon. Moses Hassim Magogo has dramatically withdrawn from the race for the presidency of the Council of East and Central Africa Football Associations (CECAFA), just moments before the elective process at the General Assembly in Djibouti.
Magogo’s decision was announced during the CECAFA Elective General Assembly being held on Saturday 7th January, a move that has now left Eritrea’s Paulos Weldehaimanot Andemariam as the only remaining candidate for the top seat.
Initially, three names had been confirmed for the vacant CECAFA presidency, including Magogo (Uganda), Weldehaimanot (Eritrea) and Alexandre Muyenge (Burundi).
However, the contest began to thin out even before delegates officially convened, as Burundi’s Muyenge pulled out of the race on Saturday, leaving a two-man contest expected to go to the ballot.
But in a surprising turn, Magogo also opted to step aside, meaning Weldehaimanot will now assume the presidency unopposed.
Speaking to the Assembly, Magogo explained that his withdrawal was aimed at protecting unity within the region, warning that competitive elections often fuel division and slow down football progress.
He noted that CECAFA continues to suffer largely due to football politics, which he believes has denied the region the chance to develop at the same pace as other parts of Africa.
Magogo referenced a similar incident during a previous meeting in Juba, South Sudan, where he also stepped aside to allow Tanzania’s Wallace Karia to go through unopposed as a CAF Executive Committee member.
According to Magogo, pushing for a vote would only deepen rivalries and create unnecessary camps within the football family.
“If we go ahead for the ballot, it will only continue to divide us. My brother from Burundi has withdrawn and I’m equally taking the same route. Hopefully, that will save us time and see us moving forward as one group,” Magogo told the Assembly.
He further pointed out the uneven state of football in the region, stating that CECAFA is often the biggest competitive platform available for many member nations, yet several countries struggle to participate consistently.
Magogo also expressed concern that only a few nations regularly host tournaments and take part in competitions, while others remain inactive, leaving the region stagnant compared to more organized football zones.
CECAFA is composed of 11 member associations namely Sudan, Eritrea, South Sudan, Djibouti, Somalia, Ethiopia, Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda and Burundi.
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