FUFA honours four Western Region Personalities at AGM
David GOMBE
The Federation of Uganda Football Associations (FUFA) honored four members at the General Assembly held on Saturday at Hotel Triangle in Mbarara.
The individuals recognized at the AGM are from the Western Region and were honoured for their contribution to the game of football.
They are Wilson Tumwine, Yakub Ssali, Geoffrey Bukohore and Abbas Ssendyowa (RIP), who received a posthumous award.
Wilson Tumwine started and funded the Pelican Cup in the 90s, covering over 15 districts within the Western Region.
Since 2009, the Western Region Football Association offices have been housed in one of his buildings. He also served as Chairperson of the National Council of Sports and former chairperson of the FUFA Competitions Committee.
Hajji Abbas Ssendyowa was recognised posthumously for his pioneering contribution to men’s and women’s football. He founded Mbugu Women FC and progressed from refereeing to becoming a CAF and FIFA Instructor and Referees Assessor, mentoring numerous referees, administrators and female officials and leaving a lasting legacy in Western Uganda.
Mr Yakub Ssali was recognised for his contribution as a professional footballer during the golden era of football in Western Uganda in the 1980s and 1990s. He represented Mbarara United FC, Express FC and the Uganda Cranes, contributing to the growth of the game in the region.
Mr Geoffrey Bukohore was honoured for his outstanding career as a defender, having represented the Uganda U-17 national team, Express FC, SC Villa and the Uganda Kobs, who qualified for the 1999 All-Africa Games. He was part of the Express FC team that won the 1996 league title and the SC Villa squad that secured the 1998 double before returning to serve SC Villa in 2023.