Magogo, who took over the helm of Ugandan football in August 2013 after Lawrence Mulindwa’s departure, is set for a fourth term as FUFA president.
Magogo, who converted to Muslim and has multiple wives - including Speaker of Parliament Anita Among - was the only candidate to submit nomination forms for the upcoming elections scheduled for July 5, 2025, in Hoima City.
His bid was backed by the Uganda Youth Football Association (UYFA), Lugazi, and the Buganda Regional Football Association.
The absence of any challenger has reignited criticism that Fufa’s electoral structure is inherently designed to frustrate competition.
Critics argue the federation has been “ring-fenced” to prevent outsiders from ascending to leadership — an accusation Magogo flatly denies.
“My brother Mujib Kasule has never been locked out,” Magogo said, referencing the 2017 controversy in which Caf instructor Mujib Kasule failed to contest for Fufa presidency.
“He was teaching a Caf course on the deadline day and missed the fact that only members of Fufa may propose someone for president two months before nomination.”
Magogo maintained that the eligibility rules are clear and open. “Anyone who has been a chairman for three of the past eight years in any of our 34 member associations — whether UPL clubs, regions, referees, futsal, schools, or players’ bodies — is eligible to stand.”
He also dismissed suggestions that the process is opaque or controlled, adding that there is no regulation barring an association from nominating more than one candidate.
“The narrative that delegates are hidden is false. The truth is that these guys can’t even get a single association to nominate them,” he said.
To qualify for the FUFA presidency, a candidate must secure at least three nominations from Fufa’s member associations two months prior to the nomination period.
Magogo pointed out that this is even less restrictive than Fifa’s requirement, which demands five member nominations.
On accusations that he has engineered the rules to his advantage, Magogo clarified that most of FUFA’s current statutes were established before his presidency.
“The Fufa electoral code was made in 2021 by a committee that included Mujib Kasule, Rogers Byamukama, Alex Luganda, Edgar Watson, and myself — under Fifa supervision,” he said.
He added that the broader Fufa statutes were drafted in 2012 before he took office and approved by Fifa.
Despite presiding over significant achievements — including Uganda Cranes’ return to the Africa Cup of Nations, strengthening youth and women’s football, and structural reforms within Fufa — Magogo’s reign has not been without controversy.
In 2019, he was suspended by Fifa over irregularities in the distribution of 2014 World Cup tickets.
Even so, his influence within Uganda’s football ecosystem appears unshaken. Some critics believe it’s this deep-rooted network that discourages challengers more than any official rulebook.
Still, Magogo insists the real problem lies not in the system but in the will of those unwilling to participate.
“False narratives are started by people with their objectives, and it is our duty to come out, explain, and tell the truth. The lies move fast, sound nice, very enticing — but eventually fade. The truth may be slow, but it will prevail,” he said.