Kampala — CHRIS Mubiru, one of the most influential officials at Sports Club Villa, is no longer the club's manager.

Circumstances under which he threw in the towel are still unclear.

Earlier reports indicating that he had been sacked were refuted by Villa, who say he resigned to concentrate on his "private work."

Mubiru is said to have handed in a one-page resignation letter to Villa secretary Edward Luyimbazi Mugalu yesterday.

The letter, reportedly written on June 30, said that, "I have resigned from my position as SC Villa team manager due to private work. I'm ready to hand over to whoever comes in."

But sources on the Villa executive, who did not want to be named, intimated that the club had sacked Mubiru on Wednesday after a top level executive meeting that also suggested that Fred Muwema take charge of the club.

The club, according to the source, were of the view that Mubiru was bringing a lot of negative publicity to the club.

The source said that a meeting, chaired by Umar Ahmed 'Mandela' also fronted the idea that Muwema takes over from Franco Mugabe as club president.

All this was refuted by club secretary Luyimbazi.

He said that they only had informal meetings to brainstorm over pending changes in the club but they were not yet conclusive.

Luyimbazi said: "What I can tell you is that we are about to review everyone's performance.

"We have accepted his (Mubiru's) resignation but we have not yet replaced him."

Mubiru has had an uneasy relationship with Villa and Cranes fans over the years.

In 2005, soccer fans were not comfortable with Mubiru serving as Cranes team manager.

Several fans accused him of gay tendencies, a charge he vehemently denied and defended himself in The New Vision.

In April, Villa fans 'expelled' him accusing him of 'spoiling' the club players and getting 'too close' to others, and resurrecting the homosexual charge.