Ugandan football has been jolted by explosive claims from former referee Davis Wanyama, whose candid revelations have cast a harsh light on corruption and intimidation within the game’s lower divisions.
Appearing on NBS Sport TV’s Emboozi Teba Nkadde, Wanyama offered a rare insider account of the pressures and ethical dilemmas faced by match officials, detailing incidents that suggest integrity in the Federation of Uganda Football Associations Big League has been repeatedly tested.
In one striking account from the 2024/25 season, Wanyama described how referees were handed money by a home team in an apparent attempt to influence the outcome of a match. Despite the illicit payment, the officials chose to conduct the game fairly, a decision that would later put them in danger.
Whistle under fire: Ugandan referees edge toward strike amid rising tensions
Ironically, the same team that attempted to buy influence went on to lose the match, triggering an angry backlash from their own supporters. According to Wanyama, the situation quickly turned volatile.
“We had to remain inside until around 8pm,” Wanyama revealed, describing an atmosphere thick with hostility and intimidation. “They were furious because they had lost, yet they had already given us money.”
The referees were effectively confined within the stadium in Iganga for hours after the final whistle, unable to leave due to safety concerns as tensions escalated outside.
Wanyama also recounted another alarming episode, this time during a Masaza Cup clash between Gomba and Ssingo, an encounter already laden with regional pride and high stakes. In a scene that underscores how brazen such attempts can be, match officials were approached in a restroom with a substantial offer to fix the result.
“We went to the toilet to relieve ourselves, and someone from Gomba found us there and tried to offer a bribe of UGX 7 million for Gomba to lose the game against Ssingo.”
The sheer audacity of the approach, combined with the amount involved, paints a disturbing picture of how deeply such practices may run.
These revelations arrive at a time when Ugandan football authorities are already dealing with multiple cases of match manipulation. In recent months, sanctions have been handed down to individuals implicated in compromising the sport, signaling an effort, however gradual, to restore credibility.
FUFA cracks down on refereeing errors with multiple suspensions
Yet Wanyama’s testimony goes beyond exposing corruption; it highlights the personal risk faced by officials who refuse to be complicit. His account suggests that integrity can come at a cost, including threats to safety in environments where emotions and expectations run high.
With the spotlight now firmly on Federation of Uganda Football Associations, the pressing question is whether these claims will trigger deeper investigations or meaningful reforms. For now, Wanyama’s voice has added urgency to an issue that can no longer be ignored.
