The Uganda Police has warned fans expecting to be at Mandela National Stadium for the AFCON qualifier game between Uganda Cranes and Taifa stars of Tanzania to desist using party symbols of colours.
According to a statement from Police spokesperson, Emilian Kayima, they are not expecting any party colors, symbols or politics during the game that should unite the country.
“Today Sept 8, 2018, there is an important game at Namboole between our team and Tanzania. Football has always been a unifier and it should be the same this time round proving our spirit of love, the East African Community and Pan Africanism. Therefore, we don’t expect any Political party colors, party symbols and politics at Namboole Stadium,” the statement reads in part.
“The Police and sister security agencies will as usual provide security for all before, during and after the game. Our specialised security units are on ground to ensure that security is guaranteed,” the statement continues.
Police say that all high ways, round about and Namboole will have uniformed security to ensure that no crime whatsoever is occasioned on anyone.
Meanwhile, Uganda Cranes skipper Denis Onyango has warned his teammates against undermining Tanzania’s Taifa Stars as both teams battle during their group L game on Saturday.
Uganda sits in the 17th position on the continent and 82nd in the world whereas their Tanzanian counterparts are 39thand 140th in Africa and world respectively according to the latest FIFA rankings.
Speaking during the pre-match press conference on Friday, Onyango warned against undermining the Taifa Stars who look to be the underdogs.
“They are not a weak team despite not qualifying for the Afcon. Every team has a trigger and this could be theirs (to go to Afcon),”Onyango said.
“It will be an East African derby and s players we must know it will not be an easy game against our neighbors.”
The Cranes skipper reminisced the 2011 debacle at where Uganda needed only three points to qualify for the 2012 Afcon finals in Gabon and Equatorial Guinea only for the neighbors Kenya to spoil the party when they forced the hosts to a nil all draw at Namboole.
