Uganda’s return to the continent’s biggest sporting extravaganza is in jeopardy after it was revealed local football governing body, Fufa have been hit by cash crunch over the delay in release of a government cash-advance.
Decolas Kiiza, the Fufa head of Finance reckons that the Treasury has failed to disburse funds amounting to Shs7.5 billion vital to help the Cranes in their preparations and then at the tournament itself, where they are drawn alongside Ghana, Mali and Egypt in group D..
“We made a budget of US$2,122,909 or Ushs 7,593,645,493 and after consultations and meetings with officials from the Ministry of Education and Sport and the National Council of Sports, the budget was slashed to US$1,226,855. But that money has not come as yet,” said Kiiza.
Charles Bakkabulindi, the State Minister for Sports, told the BBC’s Andrew Jackson Oryada that the FA will have to wait for their advance until the Minister of Education and Sports, Janet Museveni – who is also the First Lady – has responded to the budget details which he has forwarded to her.
Cranes head coach Milutin ‘Micho’ Sredojevic went online and urged the government to release the funds immediately to allow national prepare and take part in 2017 Africa Cup of Nations campaign in Gabon – their first appearance at the finals in 39 years.
UG CRANES PROMISED SUPPORT NEVER CAME CANCELLING MATCH VS GABON.FORCED TO CANCEL TUNIS&DUBAI CAMPS&MATCHES PREPARING IN KAMPALA&FORGET AFCON
— MICHOcoach (@michocoach) December 27, 2016
The Serbian tactician also went ahead to announce the cancelation of the planned trip to Tunisia on Friday for an international friendly and an eight-day training camp in the United Arab Emirates, where Uganda was set to play two other warm-up matches against Slovakia and then the African champions Ivory Coast.
If the preparations are to continue, they will keep in Kampala at the IUIU Girls’ campus in Kabojja.
