10th FSL AGM passes 1.4Bn budget for year 2024 as Rugyendo bounce back

By Emmanuel Sekago

Arinaitwe Rugyendo was re-elected unopposed for the Fufa Super League Limited Board Chairperson.
This was at the 10th Fufa super league annual  General Assembly held on Saturday September 23rd 2023 at Esella Country Hotel, Kira, Wakiso District.

Rugyendo and the entire board members returned unopposed with his Vice Chairman David Bunya Serebe. Other members include Mandu Hamphrey Watenga, Kawuma Fredrick Ivan  and Martin Sekagya who replaced Peter Kibazo who is now a board member of Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) football team.

Rugyendo talking to wallnetnews website said, he  was thrilled with another term that will see him serve the board for the next four years.
“I thank you all for the confidence and trust you have vested in me,” said Rugyendo. “I thank the electoral commission for conducting this exercise peacefully,” he added.

“I will continue making the game shine, restoration of integrity in the game and seeking for more sponsorship. You recall the last eight years have been building a credible product”. Rugyendo said.
In his report to members, he talked of Ideology guided by long standing ideological conviction of stable and brand equitable league, structured under five focus areas; Governance and Administration, Finance, Sporting and Competitions, Sponsorships and Marketing and communication.

In season 2021-2022, he promised to strengthen the secretariat, Improve the revenue base of the company, Improve sponsorships base and commercialization of the league, Address club complaints/matters related to match officials and vital timely fixtures.

The following key activities were undertaken including, Fufa stakeholders retreat at Sky beach hotel Entebbe, Club chair persons meetings, Capacity building and staff development, engagement with the leagues sponsors and partners, New sponsors (MTN), renewed UBL sponsorship. The league was successfully ended and champions 2021/2022 were awarded to Vipers sports club and Secretariat, frecrited a commercial manager.

In his final remarks, New theme for season 2022-2023; “To run a professional and Enterprising League with Sporting Excellence.”
In the same meeting the fufa super league members (FSL) unanimously passed a budget worth UGX 1.480.045.165 for the financial year 2024 at the 10th annual  General Assembly held at Esella Country Hotel, Kira, Wakiso District.

The UPL secretariat budget 2024 financed on Startimes sponsorship money, Uganda breweries and others amounts to UGX 556.730.960 with projected expenditure on Champions Crowning, Supervision and visiting clubs, match delegates, customised trophy and software will cost UGX 84.810.000, Administration on Staff Salaries, Meetings (Internal and External, Rent, Staff welfare, maintenance and fuel, to name but a few will cost UGX 394.223.380, while UGX 72,517,580 will go to Marketing and Communication with UGX 5,180,000 to assets.While UPL secretariat budget with Un funded items 2024 financial year amounts to 960,781,334.

What should be noted is that, 67per percent of the expected income for January to December 2024 financial year is from startimes for UPL broadcast and title rights, the startimes sponsorship fees increased from USD 600,000 to USD 644,152 effective July 2022/2023 football season until June 30th 2026, Provision of 200million in regards to MTN/Next media sponsorship for season 2022/2023 has been provided as debtor (Income receivable), Next Media contract expired 2022/2023 and it was never renewed, also a provision for court refund of UGX  50,000,000 in regards to FSLL appeal against a fine slapped on the company arising out of the Alfred Odong vs FSLL and Kitandwe case was written off as a prior year adjustment.

During the meeting, the secretariat revealed that it expects to cover 1/4 of the total owings before the end of the financial year 2023 which amounts to UGX 81,236,106 and they included 3/4 of the total owings in the budget which amounts to UGX 234,708,317.

Among the owings include; FUFA (USD) startimes sponsorship money 5,131, FUFA (UGX) Pilsner 20,505,000, FUFA UPL awards 5,000,000, FUFA UGX (MTN/Next Media) 18,800,000, FUFA corporate League 4,000,000, Coach Kabonge 1,000,000, FUFA office rent (Oct 2022-July 2023) 11,000,000, FUFA (1st partial installment Q1 2022/2023 USD 10,462, FUAF Sacco 40,000,000, URA FC (3rd quarter ST Disbursement 2019/2020 7,485,589, UPL staff arrears for PAYE 47,004,712, NSSF contributions 76,833,694, Mutual economic and policy evaluation research balance due 3,555,027, Share transfers to the relegated UPL clubs 8,000,000, Owino Solutions annual subscription USD 1,500, Owino solutions (Jan-Aug 2023) @month 500,000 to 4,000,000, Newmark Advocates (Mar-Aug 2023) 6,000,000, Newmark advocates (Legal fees) 1,300,000, Kira town council 1,120,000, Liquid telecom (May-August 2023) USD 1,871, DS motorgarage (June 2023) 1,070,000.

Out of the 16 members of the fufa super league only 13 clubs were present namely; Busoga united, UPDF, Kitra FC, URA FC, Gaddaffi FC, Maroons FC, Brightstar FC, Wakiso Giants, NEC FC, SC Villa, Mbarara City, Express FC and BU FC, those absent include, Viper SC, KCCA FC and Arua Hill.

Meanwhile, the 10th FUFA Super League Limited (FSSL) Annual General Assembly held at Esella Country Hotel, Kira, Wakiso District on  Saturday, September 23rd 2023 officially admitted the three new members.

The three members Kitara football club, NEC football club and Mbarara City were ably represented at the assembly, Kitara  was represented by their president Mr Deo Atwooki Kasozi while Mbarara City and NEC were all represented by their Chief executive officers.