EXCLUSIVE: Match-fixing scandal rocks newly promoted UPL side Kyetume FC
A match-fixing scandal is threatening to tear apart newly promoted Uganda Premier League side, Kyetume Football Club, the Nile Post has exclusively learnt.
In May, veteran striker, Robert Ssentongo who had joined the team during the second round of the FUFA Big League guided the Mukono based team to promotion into the top flight league when his hat trick helped them humble Kansai Plascon in the playoff finals.
Keep Reading
Following promotion, coach George Nsimbe’s strategy was to rely on the veteran players to help them navigate the waters on the big stage and this partly worked.
In the first game, the novices surprised everyone when they beat record league champions, SC Villa at Namboole.
The team has performed fairly well having won five games, drawn one and lost seven times in the 13 games they have so far played in the Uganda Premier League, putting them in the 9th position on 16 points.
Recipe for disaster
However, the recent string of losses by the newcomers has raised questions among the club’s faithfuls on what is happening to their beloved team.
Eyebrows were first raised during the 7-1 loss away to Onduparaka last week and the latest defeat to fellow newcomers, Wakiso Giants was an insult to injury.
This has led to reports indicating that the services of Nsimbe as team coach have been terminated and he has been replaced by David Katono Mutono.
“The management has thus appointed David Katono Mutono as the interim head coach to oversee the technical affairs of the club until the end of the season,” reported local sports website, Kawowo Sports on Wednesday evening.
This investigative website has however learnt that it has been a recipe for disaster as the same “veteran” players that the team banked on to steer it through the deep waters of the league have been behind its woes.
A source privy to what is happening in the team alleged that George Nsimbe and some of the veteran players had been involved in fixing games.
“There is drama in the team with veteran players fixing games. Ssentongo(Robert), Kayizzi(Vincent), Ochan(Patrick) and Ntambi(Julius) are suspected to be involved in this mess together with the coach,” a source who is privy to what is taking place in the team told the Nile Post but on condition of anonymity so as to speak freely to this website.
The source mentioned a number of games including the losses to Police FC, Maroons, Onduparaka, BUL FC and Vipers SC some of the games they suspect the veteran players fixed together with the team coach.
Crisis Meeting
This website has also learnt that there is going to be a crisis meeting for the team that is scheduled to sit today to discuss the fate of the club following the match-fixing allegations.
“The meeting sits tomorrow and it will have club board of directors and the CEO,” the source said.
On the sacking of the team coach, the source said the meeting will also determine the fate of Nsimbe who has been suspended indefinitely.
When contacted for a comment on the allegations, George ‘Best’ Nsimbe didn’t pick our repeated calls so did Robert Ssentongo.
The Deputy Kyetume FC CEO and club spokesperson, Martin Namugera confirmed the crisis meeting is to sit today but didn’t divulge more details.
This website has also learnt that with only two games left , the Kyetume FC management has resolved to hold another crisis meeting after the end of the first round to discuss the fate of senior players involved in the vice of match-fixing.
