By Aggrey Twesigye
www.mknewslink.com
In Ankole—
The 2026 Ankole Cup football final has sparked controversy after supporters and members of the Patriotic League of Uganda (PLU) were accused of turning the tournament into a political platform, raising questions among football fans about the growing involvement of politics in community sports.
The controversy unfolded at Sheema Main Stadium in Sheema Municipality, where the finals between Bushenyi District and Ibanda District were played.
The stadium was reportedly decorated with colours and images of Gen. Muhoozi Kainerugaba, the First Son and Chief of Defence Forces (CDF), in what some spectators viewed as an attempt by PLU members to take over the highly anticipated event.
The Ankole Cup is an annual football tournament intended to promote talent and development, provide young players with opportunities to join bigger clubs and strengthen unity and togetherness among communities in the Ankole sub-region.
This year’s tournament attracted support from several individuals and organisations, including the Presidential Advisory Committee on Exports and Industrial Development (PACEID), which supported participating district teams with financial assistance and football jerseys.
However, according to organisers and some supporters, members of PLU, who had largely remained quiet during the tournament, became visible towards the finals and allegedly attempted to take centre stage at the event, overshadowing organisations and individuals who had supported the tournament from its earlier stages.
The choice of Sheema Main Stadium as the venue for the finals also generated debate among football supporters, who questioned why the semi-finals had been played in Bushenyi District before the finals were moved to Sheema.
Some fans argued that the finals should have been held at a neutral venue, such as Kakyeka Stadium in Mbarara City, to ensure fairness and avoid perceptions of political or other external influence.
The concerns were raised on Monday in Ibanda District during a ceremony in which PACEID officials handed over Shs12 million to the Ibanda District football team for winning this year’s Ankole Cup.
Nasasiira Magango, the PACEID coordinator for the western region, criticized what she described as attempts to inject politics into a tournament whose primary objective is to develop football talent.
Magango said the actions of some PLU members at the final undermined the mission of the tournament and sidelined individuals and organisations that had supported the participating teams from the beginning.
He also criticized what she described as “mafia” tendencies in the organisation of the tournament, arguing that politics should not be allowed to interfere with football and talent development.
Magango, however, commended Odrek Rwabwogo for supporting district football teams, including those from Kiruhura, Ibanda, Buhweju and Rubirizi, through financial contributions and football uniforms.
Francis Kagonyera, a capacity development officer at PACEID, also criticised individuals whom he accused of diverting the tournament from its core objectives by introducing politics into the competition.
Kagonyera said the Ankole Cup should remain focused on identifying promising young footballers and creating pathways for them to join bigger clubs.
He reaffirmed PACEID’s commitment to supporting talent development in the region and said the organisation would engage the government on the need to improve sports facilities to provide young people with better opportunities to develop their abilities.
Happy Herbert Mayanja, the Ibanda District chairman, also called on the government to improve sports infrastructure in the region, saying many of the existing facilities remain in poor condition.