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Fufa confirms payments to Uganda internationals
The pressure has been building for the federation to pay the players after performing their duties
The Federation of Uganda Football Associations (Fufa) has confirmed payments to the players who did duty for the Cranes for a period of 33 months, from July 2018 to March 2021.
Players payments have been a source of conflict between the federation and Uganda internationals, but now it has been sorted.
In a document seen by Goal, the highest-paid player was former Cranes skipper and Mamelodi Sundowns custodian Denis Onyango, who received Ush.320,617,500 while Mike Mutyaba pocketed the lowest amount, Ush.12,950,000.
"Payments made to national senior team players," Fufa communicated through their social media platforms.
"These payments are direct income by players and do not include any other expenses incurred on the team over the period. Please note that more players are paid by Fufa than listed here, these same players have earned from other Fufa sources but this is from the Government."
Recently, Hassan Wasswa, Onyango, and Micheal Azira announced their retirement from the national team and many attributed their decision to hang up their boots to Fufa president Moses Magogo, who had initially stated players who played in African Nations Championship (Chan) did not deserve their payment.
However, the administrator denied it, stating the players had intentions of retiring.
"You can choose what to say, but the fact is I have enjoyed a different but personal relationship with Wasswa (33), Onyango (35), and Azira (33) beyond football," Magogo said.
"Whereas it is the norm for players to retire from the national team at this age and have a few more years for club football, it does not take away the emotions of retirement. As a serious administration, we indeed saw this reality coming and planned for it.
"As anyone who has played football, that moment comes when only you feel how you feel. When the body and the mind get a conversation, then the inevitable difficult decision comes. If you refuse to take a hard decision, the decision takes itself."
The East African heavyweights are now focusing on the 2022 World Cup whereby they are pooled with rivals Kenya, Mali, and Rwanda in qualifying.
The first game will be against the Harambee Stars on June 5 or 6.
