As Uganda edges closer to the highly anticipated CHAN 2027 tournament, what should have been a proud moment for the nation is instead being marred by corruption, mismanagement, and internal sabotage—all hidden behind smiles and official press releases.
At the center of this growing scandal are top officials from the Ministry of Education and Sports and the National Council of Sports (NCS)—including State Minister for Sports, Hon. Peter Ogwang, the NCS General Secretary, Hon. Patrick Bernard Ogwel, and a key figure known only as Brick, who has been entrusted with the responsibility of awarding tenders to service providers.
Behind the scenes, a different game has been playing—one involving billions of shillings, questionable transactions, and a growing list of unanswered questions.
In 2024, the Federation of Uganda Football Associations (FUFA), under the leadership of its president Eng. Moses Magogo, successfully applied to host the 2027 CHAN (African Nations Championship). It was a major milestone—a chance to put Uganda’s local talent on a continental stage and develop infrastructure, jobs, and national pride.
As part of CAF’s hosting requirements, Uganda was asked to deposit UGX 24 billion into CAF’s account as a financial guarantee to kickstart planning and organization.
But that money never made it to CAF.
Instead of being wired to the rightful recipients, the UGX 24 billion allocated by the government was divided between two accounts:
UGX 7 billion was deposited into a private account under the name Namboole stadium , raising serious concerns about personal enrichment.
The remaining UGX 17 billion went to the National Council of Sports (NCS)—not CAF, as intended.
To date, FUFA and CAF have not received any portion of these funds. And when inquiries were raised, confusion and finger-pointing followed.
While FUFA continues to operate in good faith and awaits proper facilitation, sources say Minister Ogwang, Brick, and Hon. Ogwel have not offered any transparent explanation for the diversion of funds.
Even more alarming is the fact that no official tenders were granted to service providers for ongoing CHAN qualifiers. Despite the existence of a procurement process meant to ensure fairness and accountability, Brick—tasked with awarding tenders—never issued any formal calls.
This has left suppliers and vendors locked out, players unsupported, and preparations in total disarray.
Many expected a grand opening ceremony to mark the kickoff of the qualifiers. But instead of organizing a national celebration, UGX 300 million was quietly handed to a company called Swanga avenue , which went on to produce a copied, unoriginal song.
The song, which was not approved by CAF, violates CHAN’s branding rules. It was a rushed, poorly managed PR stunt that did more to embarrass than inspire.
A national team player, speaking anonymously, shared:
“We’ve been preparing for this moment for years. But when the day came, there was no ceremony, no anthem, no pride. Just a cheap song that wasn’t even ours. It felt like we were forgotten.”
In an attempt to shift responsibility, insiders allege that Hon. Ogwang and his allies began a campaign to blame FUFA, the Local Organizing Committee, and even the Ministry of Education and Sports, headed by the First Lady Janet Museveni.
They claimed that CAF was trying to grab Uganda’s money—a narrative that painted FUFA and the ministry as careless or corrupt, when in reality, they had no control over how the funds were handled after release.
This deliberate misdirection has only deepened the crisis, damaging Uganda’s relationship with CAF and leaving the football community demoralized
As Uganda hosts CHAN qualifiers, the signs of dysfunction are hard to ignore:
Players lack proper support.
Vendors and service providers are left unpaid.
Fans are confused about what’s going on.
CAF is watching closely, and patience is running out.
There are whispers in football circles that if this trend continues, Uganda may risk losing the CHAN 2027 hosting rights entirely.
