A Few years ago, Whitney Houston and Deborah Cox's "Same script, different cast" hit single didn't receive all that much attention more especially from the football aficionados but it held a lot of reality about the sport they love so much. The troubles that KCC FC mourned at the beginning of the season have switched to Wankulukuku.

For the Express FC faithful, their cradle at Wankulukuku has been in tatters since late last year and positive results on and off the pitch haven't been creeping in despite triumphing in the Kakungulu Cup. Being the man at the top, Sam Kiwanuka was forced to forfeit the club's chairmanship earlier this year after succumbing to fans’ pressure. This was greeted with a lot of jubilation from the Red Army who said that he was operating the club like a roadside kiosk.

Now that the Red Eagles are under the tutelage of an interim committee comprised of some old guards like Kavuma Kabenge, Godfrey Kirumira, Meddie Ssebaggala and Bbale Mugera, it's worth mentioning that history has repeated itself and a cloud of uncertainty seems to surround the club's future.

Cursed family?
Without any doubt, the Kiwanuka family holds a special place in the hearts of many Express FC fans but just when any of its members tries to grasp control of it; they have always had bad exits.

Kiwanuka's father, Jolly Joe Kiwanuka founded the club in 1957 using funds from his publication Uganda Express, thus the club's name. He served the club in different capacities religiously for a period of over 12 years until the time he was murdered in cold blood in 1973.

In 1981, another Kiwanuka, Jimmy Kiwanuka (RIP) courtesy of bad politics at the club took over the top leadership but like what poor results always breed, he too exited. His brother Patrick Kiwanuka replaced him in 1985.

In a stunning twist, God knows what but in 1986, Jimmy Kiwanuka bounced back to the club mantle but was again booted out and Patrick began another era.

The only Kiwanuka who is yet to taste the hot seat is Kiwanuka Snr's daughter, Margaret Kiwanuka, who just keeps a low profile on the club's board.

Sam Kiwanuka first served as club secretary and later vice chairman (administration) before taking over the top job in 2005. Ever since he came into power after fans had acrimoniously forced out the moneyed Godfrey Kirumira under accusations of handling the club without their input, Express hasn't gone the heights many anticipated, but has instead turned from being the most endearing club "mukwano gw'abangi" to the least followed among the top three- Express, SC Villa and Kampala City Council. Being a son of the club's founder, many thought that Kiwanuka had affection for the club and that he wouldn't play hide and seek games.

But alas! The only credit he has to his reign is the 2006 Kakungulu Cup title punctuated with a not so decent league finish. However, one of the reasons for his demise stems from the fact that he was solely responsible for the club's failure to feature in this year's Confederations Cup, something that he has never come out to clarify.

The side started this term on a wrong footing with a humiliating 1-2 defeat away to debutantes City Lads who are by any comparison a far much inferior side in terms of history and playing staff. With their former coach George Ssimwogerere seated on a hot table having fallen out of favour with the fans, pulling off good results was always going to be an uphill task.

Absolute powers had now shifted from the club executive to the fans. The appointment of Kefa Kisala by the ‘fans’ as the new coach coupled with a poor state of welfare made some players abscond from training sessions and even some league matches! In their first round encounter with Masindi at the now fortified Wankulukuku stadium, Express had failed to raise a squad.

Even Federation of Uganda Football Associations' (FUFA) new resolution that home teams would pocket all the gate collection hasn't helped matters for a club that used to have gate receipts in excess of Shs1m per game but now fetching a meager Shs50,000 per game.

With the second round now on, the thought of the club's first league triumph in slightly over a decade for the Wankulukuku fans is dead. If that alone is not depressing, the club is hovering over the drop zone.

In spite of the troubles, the chairman of the club's board of trustees Mr Bbale Mugera maintains that the future is not as gloomy as the present. Mugera says that whereas the task is daunting, they are focused to get the club back on track by reinforcing the technical aspects.

"Our priority remains in the league," Mugera says.

When asked whether the departure of striker Hassan Mubiru for Denmark and fast rising attacking midfielder Tony Odur explains the team's poor performances this term, Mugera concurs but says that's only part of the problems.

"Every team is bound to suffer a bit once it loses some of its best players," Mugera says. Adding that, "Though we miss them, we wish them the best, you just cannot hold onto good players. They should be let go so they try their luck elsewhere."

"The board is evaluating and pinpointing to many issues while suggesting many remedies. Various sorts of excuses have been raised but we are probing deeper," Mugera optimistically says.

However, Mugera is non-committal regarding the possibility of current coach Ibrahim Buwembo who was part of the sextet in the 2005 season as the right man to steer the club back to accustomed heights.

"These are all old players who love the club," Mugera says referring to fallen coaches Ssimwogerere and Kefa Kisala. "When the hut is on fire (Express) everybody comes in and tries to help out. But whether Buwembo is fit to carry the club forward, I cannot pass that judgment."

Getting the corporate companies on board, as a means of overcoming the financial woes at the club is an idea Mugera says, though good, can only be achieved in the long run.

Since the start of the second round, Express have failed to score maximum points and their 1-0 defeat last Friday to Police has further dented its hopes of moving into a much needed respectable spot on the league table rather than the top.