The Egregious Epitaph of The Minister

Owek. Nakiwala Kiyingi’s ‘departure’ was welcomed by the bigger fraction of the fans, but Express have a very long way to go before they can escape her influence.

Once, at the Wankulukuku based Club, Express FC, was this president whose love for politics somehow leaked into football. That paranoid president who forgot about the services of the Club’s administration, accusing everyone of doing 'nothing' and denying responsibility of virtually everything that went wrong under her auspices – then railed against anyone who would criticise her actions.

Well, forget about everything that went wrong then, you'd probably fail to find a way of describing what a hell the ‘Mukwano Gw’abanji’ Club had endured.

You could, though, probably sum up everything as; - should I say, "the Worst. Express moment. Ever?"

It’s not news anymore now that the ‘Express President’ is finally ‘away on leave’ and it’s no surprise that most FC fans are happy for the development, now that it looks more real. She’s gone. Do I need to wake from this dream? Maybe yes, maybe not! It’s too good to be believed anyway.

Even if she did influence the DSTV Sponsorship and some other sketchy deals to the Club, there's no proof the funds feasibly benefited the Club after all everything was about her. Even if all her efforts brought about a number of great moments to the Club, including the fund raising and recruitment of a functional secretariat, (the Vincent Onyebuchi incident and the signing of Eric Masika were more convincing than all that) – were too true to the proof of a clumsy administrative era that was.

If you never trust people around you, it's hard to imagine other people will trust you in return. This is more of a general principle rather than strict rule. I’ve been told the Minister was ‘forced-out’ of the Club, certainly a best option there was to keep-away the disarrayed from football – they are sometimes so much that ‘saving the nine’ serves better, an idea.

Even if her departure satisfied virtually everyone, including her Godparents, partners and the game itself, she lost nothing and there she goes, leaving the Club in the Sink, cleansing herself of all the dirt, a mess that may eventually overwhelm the abilities of current administration to sort out.

That's the part of the point.

Nakiwala’s departure leaves the Club with a wondering Soul that will certainly take time to rediscover to bring home.

The appointment of Hassan Bulwadda, John Kitenda, Erias Kamudasi and especially Jjunju Hamzah’s reappointment should be seen as one of the best decisions the board made.

However, just like what happens in any other institution after change of administration, expect challenges with managing the team that is remains divided amidst calls for fresh elections.

It shouldn’t be a surprise to anyone that some players are still loyal to the former president despite this alarming situation, coupled by a slump in results.

The season has reached its defining moments and there won’t be any additions to the team. Are the players ready to accept the change and move on? That’s one of the most important questions the new administration needs to answer first before anything else.

Express have lost more than any other side with the exception of Proline with which side they share the tally of falters. With just Eleven-games left, the Club’s current status, at the bottom of the standings, requires a lot more than just hard work

It would be a mistake to think Express are in this situation for the first time. The remaining games are more than what Express requires to escape relegation. But sometimes, such situations are so derailing as when not approached with the right methods and if handled with complacency could bring a different end all together.

Express face Police next Saturday, and still have Vipers, Maroons (at Luzira prisons), KCCA FC, URA FC and SC Villa, including fellow strugglers, Masavu FC, on their list before the season ends. All these games are tricky and could determine where the Wankulukuku based side features from.

All teams are now positioning themselves and this season’s relegation drag will certainly not be a pushover for any Club in the zone.

I believe Express still have a chance to survive but how the apparent situation, (the divide in the dressing room and call for fresh elections by the aggrieved) is handled, will determine if the new administration can walk a new distance before the end of the season.