A fresh governance storm has erupted at Sports Club Villa after a group of members formally petitioned the Federation of Uganda Football Associations (FUFA) seeking urgent intervention in what they describe as deepening internal disputes and an irregular electoral process within the historic club. In a letter dated 7 March 2026, members Dennis Mbidde Ssebuggwawo, Joseph Muguluma Mbazzi, and Meywa Farouq, through their lawyers, called on FUFA to halt the planned elections and arbitrate the growing conflict among the club’s membership.
The petition, addressed to FUFA President Moses Magogo and Chief Executive Officer Edgar Watson Suubi, alleges that the current club leadership has continued to run the institution despite its mandate expiring in August 2025. According to the complainants, the officials allegedly suspended the club’s statutes and extended their tenure without the approval of members or a legally convened Annual General Meeting, actions they say violate both FUFA and club governance regulations.
The members further claim that the leadership has failed to present audited financial accounts for several years and has sidelined democratic decision-making processes within the club. They argue that the absence of transparency and accountability has created deep divisions among members, with accusations that a small group of influential individuals has been controlling the club’s affairs while suppressing dissent from the wider membership.
Tensions reportedly escalated when a meeting held on 1 March 2026 at East High Secondary School to discuss the electoral roadmap turned chaotic. The petition alleges that Dennis Mbidde Ssebuggwawo was physically and verbally assaulted during the meeting by businessman Omar Ahmed Mandela, who is said to be the proprietor of the venue where the gathering was held. The incident has reportedly been reported to police, further intensifying calls for an independent intervention.
In their appeal, the members want FUFA to suspend the planned elections, initiate arbitration among members, investigate alleged mismanagement, and temporarily oversee the club’s administration until a lawful electoral process can be conducted. They also propose that nomination fees and election management be handled by FUFA as a neutral body, arguing that only decisive intervention can restore confidence and stability within one of Uganda’s most storied football institutions.
