Immanuel Ben Misagga
As a former SC Villa president and a committed lifelong member of the Villa family, my primary concern has always been the welfare, integrity, and proper governance of our great club. It is from this place of deep responsibility that I must address a serious constitutional breach that threatens the very foundations of our institution.
The facts are clear and undisputed: Hajji Omar Ahmed Mandela’s elected four-year term as club president concluded on November 13, 2025. According to our own statutes and the national football governing laws, there is no provision for an automatic extension. To date, no valid resolution, minutes, or publication from the Villa Members Trust (VMT) or the Club Congress authorising an extension has been presented to the membership.
Despite this, the current club board chairman, Gerald Ssendaula, continues to illegitimately recognise Mandela as president and conduct official club business with him. This is not merely an oversight; it is an illegal act, inconsistent with our governing laws, and a total abuse of office. Allowing this to continue erodes trust, sets a dangerous precedent, and tarnishes the proud reputation we have all worked so hard to build.
Therefore, I have presented Ssendaula with a reasonable and necessary set of demands to immediately restore transparency and lawful order.
He must cease all presidential dealings with Mandela immediately and formally declare the office of the Villa president vacant to trigger a lawful electoral process without delay. Furthermore, he must provide full transparency. This includes submitting all minutes and attendance records justifying any purported extension of the presidential term, and a complete financial, operational, and inventory audit covering Mandela’s entire term. We also require a full account of all funds received from the Uganda National Roads Authority (UNRA), detailed and verified membership lists for both the club and VMT since 2021, confirmation of the current CEO’s and president’s membership status, and a verified list of the Board of Trustees.
Critically, I also call on the Villa leadership to submit any documented authority extending the presidential term, or an official declaration that no such authorisation exists. This is the cornerstone of the matter.
I have reached this route because I have regrettably been unable to reach Ssendaula directly. This lack of engagement leaves me with no choice but to proceed formally.
And by the way, this is not a personal pursuit but a principled stand for accountability. Dozens of eminent Villa faithful have reached out to me and expressed their approval. Silence and secrecy do not work in a community club like Villa.
So, we have given a 14-day window for compliance. Should these legitimate demands not be met, we will be left with no alternative but to institute immediate legal proceedings against Ssendaula for abuse of office and false accounting, targeting all individuals complicit in these illegalities.
My aim is singular: to see SC Villa return to its core principles of transparency, democracy, and excellence, both on and off the pitch. I call upon all true patrons and fans of the club to support this call for lawful and ethical leadership.
The author is a football investor and Villa president emeritus.
