Ugandan football loyalty gathered on Wednesday night to award the finest in the 2017 top flight season amidst a cocktail of controversy and glamour.
The latest edition of the annual Uganda Premier League (UPL) Awards delivered high in the fashion stakes but sparked furious debate with the judges’ choices of those who went home with individual honours.
KCCA FC striker Geofrey Sserunkuma walked home with the biggest smile after scooping the biggest accolade on the night (MVP) at Imperial Royale Hotel, Kampala which was accompanied by a brand new Subaru forester car as well as 2Million shillings.
Our own Ronnie Lusulire brings you some of the loopholes at the awards night and what the organising committee needs to polish for a very successful organisation next season.
Absence of the goal of the season category
This is one of the basic category that shouldn’t miss out at any football awards ceremony in this modern world of digital era. With Azam TV showing over 15 matches last season, there is no way this category would miss out. A number of beautiful goals were scored from televised matches for example Paul Mucuurezi’s stunner for KCCA FC against Express FC at Wankulukuku stadium, Deus Bukenya’s screamer for Vipers SC against KCCA FC at Nakivubo stadium in the first round of the league, Sadam Juma’s opener for Express FC against SC.Villa at Namboole stadium, among others but to my surprise this category was ignored.
Controversy in young player of the year winner
KCCA FC’s talented teenager Allan Okello scooped the award beating Vipers SC Frank “Zaga” Tumwesigye and Kirinya Jinja SS custodian Thomas Ikaara which left many including me wondering what criteria they used to award Okello.
In football there some things that don’t need to be debated about and when the final decision is made otherwise then it turns into a loophole. Allan Okello who won the award played less than 5 matches with his best coming against Arua based side Onduparaka FC on his debut at Phillip Omondi stadium then netting a hatrick. In this category there is no doubt that Thomas Ikaara who had over ten clean sheets, was very vital in Kirinya’s relegation survival and was already vieing for goalkeeper of the year had to win it.
Absence of a number of category contenders at the ceremony
A number of contenders never showed up on the big night of Uganda Premier league football due to some known and unknown reasons.
Defender Halid Lwaliwa (knee injury) Timothy Awany (unknown reason) Benjamin Ochan (unknown reason) Muzamir Mutyaba (unknown reason) Muhammad Shaban (unknown reason) Nicholas Wadada (unknown reason) and Emma Okwi all missed out on attending the ceremony which would have made it very colourful.
In such situations, the organising committee should at least cater for transport of all contestants in different categories which can very much attract them to come at the ceremony because I believe some players like Muhammad Shaban knew that he wouldn’t win and he was in Arua so looking into all that he had to ignore but if transport fares are offered then I believe most players who missed and were in the country would have come around.
In relation to ensure all contenders in different categories show up at the one night ceremony, the organising committee should also offer uniform suits to them.
Failure to Award Referee of the year with a Prize money
Arguably the biggest embarrassment on the night. When FIFA referee Doctor Alex Muhabi was announced as referee of the season, he hit the podium of course with huge expectations of a given prize money from the sponsors held on with his accolade waiting for an envelope and to the surprise of many nothing was offered until when some football lovers/administrators on the night solicited 150,000 shs to appreciate Muhabi.
Failure to Award prize money to best media personality online, TV, radio, Print, CEO of the season, etc
Of course if the Awards prize money sponsors (BETWAY) managed to give out prize money to all the field categories then why leave out some. To me, any token inform of money would have been a great motivation to them on top of the accolades.
