AFCON: Cranes stage sit-down strike over bonus arrears

Uganda Cranes players staged a sit-down strike over bonus arrears and did not train on Tuesday, as per the team programme.

According to the programme, Uganda Cranes was supposed to hold a training session at 7:00pm Tuesday, at the Arab Contractors Stadium in Cairo, but journalists and media personalities who were waiting for them were informed by FUFA Communications Manager Ahmed Hussein, that the training was cancelled without giving reasons.

Hours later, the media came to learn that the players were staging a sit down strike, demanding for their bonuses worth $6,000 in total for a win and a draw against DR Congo and Zimbabwe.

The NilePost sports team in Cairo established that the Cranes where promised bonuses of $4000 for each player if they won a game, and $2000 each in case of a draw.

FUFA has confirmed the incident in a statement on their official website.

"On the 2nd July, 2019, The Uganda Cranes did not undergo training after players opted not to despite a training programme released by the technical team. FUFA has since engaged the players and confirmed that a complaint about emoluments as their cause of action," the statement reads in part.

FUFA however stated that the matters of the rights and obligations of the members of the Uganda Cranes at the on going 2019 AFCON inclusive of the allowances and bonuses of the team were discussed and agreed upon by the team and were out into a document called the Code Of Conduct which every member on the Cranes team signed before being allowed into the camp.

FUFA said that, as per contract, they have already paid all the winning and draw bonuses.

"As of 2nd July 2019, each player received up to 14,600 USD (Approximately 55M UGX) already with more daily allowances and winning bonuses awaiting to be earned and paid on time," FUFA said in a statement on their website.

FUFA also said that the matter has been explained to the players but they decided to renegotiate the terms of the Code of Conduct after qualifying to the round 16 and hence they decided not to train.

The Uganda Cranes is expected to play against Senegal in the round of 16 game on Friday 5th, July 2019.