UEFA President Čeferin arrives in Uganda

UEFA President Aleksander Čeferin with Aliguma Foundation CEO Ritah Aliguma (C) and State Minister for Sport Hon. Hamson Obua (R) shortly after his arrival at the Entebbe Airport | Photo Credit: NBS Sport

FOOTBALL UEFA President Čeferin arrives in Uganda

Shafic Kiyaga 18:49 - 14.03.2023

State Minister for Sport, Honourable Peter Ogwang and Aliguma Foundation CEO, Ritah Aliguma met Čeferin on arrival at Entebbe, ahead of the tour that will see him visit the Acholi Quarters in Kampala and also watch a football tournament in the slums of Banda.

European football governing body, UEFA, president Alexander Čeferin has arrived in Uganda ahead of a 24-hour long visit to the Pearl of Africa.

Čeferin together with members of his entourage touched down at the Entebbe International Airport on Tuesday evening to check on the progress of humanitarian projects under the Aliguma Foundation and supported by UEFA.

State Minister for Sport, Honourable Peter Ogwang and Aliguma Foundation CEO, Ritah Aliguma met Čeferin on arrival at Entebbe, ahead of the tour that will see him visit the Acholi Quarters in Kampala and also watch a football tournament in the slums of Banda.

“It is a special occasion for me,” Čeferin told NBS Sport briefly after his arrival, adding; “I feel welcome already, and I am looking forward to witnessing the projects that we have supported in Kampala.”

“I also look forward to watching some of the youngsters in these underprivileged areas showcase their skills and talent, and hopefully I will get a chance to play alongside them.”

He will attend a school sports gala at Acholi Quarters where he will see the elderly women and girl-child exhibitions of their works.

Čeferin's visit will conclude with a visit to the State House, where he will have soccer development talks with the First Lady Hon. Janet Kataaha Museveni alongside Hon. Peter Ogwang, the State Minister for Sports plus other officials from the National Council for Sports and Federation for Uganda Football Associations (FUFA).

He is expected to leave Uganda on Wednesday evening, and head to Rwanda for the FIFA Congress that will take place on Thursday in Kigali.

It should be noted that Aliguma Foundation were first time recipients of the UEFA Foundation For Children grant as part of the 65 humanitarian projects around the world worth €4.9 MILLION (an estimated UGX 19.1 BILLION) in 2019, through its Sports For Resilience & Empowerment Project (SREP).

The foundation has redeveloped the multi-purpose Acholi Quarters Playground, improving the structures and status of the Annual Banda Slums Soccer Tournament as well as using football to affect the lives of children who grow up in the area.

The Aliguma Foundation has also bought a 15-acre piece of land in Kinuuma Village, Masindi District where it is constructing the Aliguma Foundation Sports & Empowerment Center (AFSEC) as well as the initiation of other new fundamental projects like the Ndi Mwana – The Cry of A Girl Child.