Shadow Sports Minister and football agent Godfrey Kayemba SSolo has urged national and international football bodies to intervene following protests over the Uganda Premier League’s new format warning that poor consultation risks losing fans, sponsors and investors.
Godfrey Kayemba Ssolo has fired a warning shot at the Federation of Uganda Football Associations (FUFA), asking the Ministry of Education and Sports, FIFA, CAF and the National Council of Sports to step in and mediate after mounting tensions between Uganda’s biggest clubs and the governing body.
The dispute centers on the newly introduced Uganda Premier League format and the grievances raised by champions Vipers SC and giant SC Villa.
Kayemba said he had studied letters from both Dr Lawrence Mulindwa of Vipers SC and Hajji Omar Mandela of SC Villa and believes the clubs’ concerns deserve urgent, transparent attention.
He singled out the double-header staged at Mandela National Stadium on Saturday, October 4, 2025, where SC Villa turned out but “played under protest” as evidence that meaningful consultation did not take place before the reforms were imposed.
“Reforms can be well-intentioned,” Kayemba said, “but when they are rolled out without robust stakeholder engagement you risk alienating the very people who sustain the game the owners, the fans, the sponsors and the investors.”
He urged FUFA to open a listening process, review the contentious changes and avoid a heavy-handed approach that could fracture Uganda’s passionate football community.
Fans have reportedly threatened boycotts and there are fears the standoff could deter future investment in the league.
Kayemba warned FUFA that ignoring these grievances could cost Ugandan football dearly, arguing that fair play extends beyond the pitch and must include fair processes and consensus-building.
He called for an immediate, mediated dialogue that includes club owners, league officials and independent observers, saying: “It is never too late to build consensus. Football unites us — we must protect that unity by ensuring reforms are fair, transparent and widely accepted.”
As the debate intensifies, all eyes will be on FUFA and the Ministry to see whether they move quickly to defuse tensions or allow the rift to deepen with potential consequences for attendance, sponsorship and the health of the Uganda Premier League itself.
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