James Bakama
20 October 2008
Kampala — WITH Cranes out of the 2010 World Cup qualifiers and the nation desperately looking for scapegoats, FUFA Chief Executive Officer Charles Masembe could find himself the first victim of the fallout.
Masembe has come under fire for going on radio soon after the final Cranes game on October 12 and telling the nation Uganda had qualified for the next round of the 2010 World/Nations Cup matches. He was a few days later accused of forgery, in an incident involving a visa request to the UK.
Masembe, confused by messages he got from world governing body FIFA, had in the weeks going into the final game against Benin insisted Uganda were second on the table. He argued that head-to-head results and not goal difference would be used to determine second placed teams in the qualifying groups.
He had earlier argued that even if Uganda finished third, they would be considered among the runners-up to contend for the next round.
The CEO, a former top FIFA referee who handled the 1996 Nations Cup final game, was proved wrong as Uganda were third as the FIFA tables had indicated and were knocked out despite a 2-1 win over Benin.
Angola beat Uganda to the group's second position with a superior goal difference.
Masembe will know his fate when the federation's top leaders meet tomorrow to review his performance among other issues.
"Some tough decisions have to be made," an executive member said yesterday, adding that the meeting's main intention is to review the continental qualification campaign.
Masembe's five-year contract expires in 2011. FUFA however, reserves the right to terminate the contract if it feels the CEO has failed to measure up to its targets.
Deliberations start at 2pm after FUFA's weekly press conference at the federation's headquarters in Mengo.
The meeting will also address preparations for the forthcoming CECAFA Senior Challenge Cup that Uganda will host starting December 31.
"There has also been a lot of emphasis on the Cranes. Now that we are out of the World Cup and Nations Cup, emphasis would be set on development of youth structures," explained the source.
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