The Management and Executive of Sports Club Villa would like to issue this press statement following a decision to seek legal redress against wrongs that, we believe, have been committed against the club.

Following intensive and extensive consultations, SC Villa has decided to seek legal redress against The New Vision newspaper and one of its columnists, Mr. Aldrine Nsubuga.

We have been forced to take this strong action following persistently biased, unfounded and defamatory statements made by the same against the club and its management.

SC Villa's president, Francisco Mugabe

However, we take serious exception to comments and allegations that unfairly ridicule and abuse the club, its supporters and its management.

The management of SC Villa has sought audience with some of the defendants before and appealed, humbly, for fair and objective coverage and reportage. Unfortunately, such level-minded and civil efforts to a fair hearing have, in light of continuing developments, fallen on deaf ears.

We have therefore sought protection from the law, in which we have great faith and confidence.

At the same time there is real danger that Mr. Nsubuga’s excesses could actually undermine the otherwise excellent past partnership between our club and UTL. Some of our fans for example cannot draw a sharp line between Mr. Nsubuga, the rabid SC Villa hater, and Mr. Nsubuga who is the public face of Mango/UTL.

In fact the SC Villa management has been at pains to cool down a large section of our fans who wanted to start boycotting the company’s products in response to Mr. Nsubuga’s unprincipled attacks against our club. The fans have wanted the club officials to take the lead by disconnecting all their businesses from UTL products.

We have worked hard to re-assure our fans that the management of UTL can and could never endorse the kind of negative attacks Aldrine keeps making against SC Villa. We have also reminded our fans of the past partnership when UTL joined SC Villa and supported our campaign against Julius Berger of Nigeria in the 2001 Africa Champions League.

Happily our fans have – as usual – been most understanding.

We wish to reiterate to our players, supporters and the public at large, our commitment to the principles of fair competition and sports development in our country.

We ask you to continue supporting us, even criticising us - fairly and accurately, when we go wrong.

PROBE COMMITTEE QUESTIONAIRE

MEANWHILE the SC Villa management has learnt of the existence of questionnaires that are being selectively distributed by certain USPA journalists of questionable repute.

The questionnaires are supposedly for the “exclusive use” of the probe committee led by Mr. Steven Kavuma. This may as well be so, but we wonder why the questionnaires were very selectively and not randomly distributed.

The journalists involved only passed out the questionnaires to be known only to hold certain fixed views on football matters – especially against SC Villa. As a matter of fact, no known SC Villa fan or official has been given a questionnaire to fill out. How then can such a survey be considered representative of the football fraternity or even remotely scientific?

In fact there has been no public pronouncement about these questionnaires or where those who may wish to fill them can find or return them. Even some of the questions are shockingly leading. Question Six for example asks the respondent whether he/she thinks there is a GENUINE WINNER of the 2003 NSSL title.

Obviously the answer from any KCC, Express or other rival fans shall be “NO” since SC Villa are the champions, while SC Villa fans would again all answer – YES – that SC Villa are the rightful champions. In short, SC Villa would be disadvantaged by the overwhelming negative response from rival fans blinded by their blanket hatred for SC Villa after so many years of dominance. And given the leading nature of that particular question and the selective nature of the distribution, the result of the survey is therefore a “fixed” and a foregone conclusion.

The journalists involved with the questionnaire also happen to be the same journalists who have openly made it known that they would do anything to ensure that the 2003 NSSL is annulled and SC Villa denied the title that we rightly deserve. It would thus explain the timing and leading questions. It is all designed to make the committee reach a particular recommendation on the status of the 2003 champions.

The Probe Committee – if it indeed commissioned the questionnaire – may have had very good intentions. But the honourable members may not have realised that the committee was dealing with some unprofessional journalists to prepare and administer its questionnaire to a pre-determined outcome.

Generally, however, the SC Villa management shall remain supportive of the work being done by the Probe Committee. Our own appearance before the committee gave us confidence that all its members are people of integrity, who will try to make a fair assessment of all submissions and make reasonable recommendations in the best interest of football.

In order not to jeopardise the proceedings of the Probe Committee, SC Villa shall only pronounce its position on issues that have happened and are happening in Ugandan football at an appropriate moment after the Committee has released its report.


- SC Villa management