Museveni’s 18 Million gift to Cranes players,Obua kicked out of camp

Uganda Cranes players got a big kill from the Africa Cup of Nations Group J match with Kenya's Harambee Stars when President, Yoweri Museven gave each player an equaivalent of Ksh.1 million barely 24 hours before the do-or die encounter at Namboole Stadium, Kampala on Saturday.

The promises came amidst reports that leading striker David Obua had been ejected from the Stars camp by Coach Bobby Williamson. Accoding to media reports Obua, who was due for a fitness test on his strained muscle during Friday’s training session, walked out of the grounds as the rest of his colleagues prepared to meet Museveni. “After training, they told us to wait and meet the president but for him he just walked away.”  

The team's coordinator Crispus Muyinda confirmed that the Hearts striker had been suspended from the cranes camp on indiscipline grounds. 

 When Cranes hosted Guinea Bissau in June the player was on the spot when he stormed out of the pitch and headed for the locker room unhappy with his substitution. 

The incident however did not dampen the spirit in the Cranes camp as Museveni visited them at their training camp at the match venue on Friday and shared lunch with players.

On top of the president gift, his first son, Kanu Muhozi also gave each player an extra Ksh300,000 with the Ugandan parliament injecting $15,000 (Ksh 1.35) to the squad.

Opposition leader, Kizza Bessige also promosed Coach Bobby Willimson's side an extra Ksh.2 million promising and a similar amount for every goal scored. Uganda last qualified for the continental championship in 1978.

Sportsnewsarena.com also learnt that there were more goodies for Uganda's goal scorers with the promise of a house in the posh surbubs of Rugoa, along Entebe road valued at over KSh 9 million.

Uganda team captain, Ibrahim Sekaja who plays for Redbull Swanburg has also given the team Ush. 50Milllin, an equavalent of Ksh. 1.8million.

Whether these goodies will boost the morale in the Cranes’s squad as they prepare to break 34 years jinx by qualifying for the 2012  CAN which will be co-hosted by Equatorial Guinea and Guinea Bissau will be determined in a couple of hours.

Morale is high in Kampala  as the residents came out strongly in support of their team which vehicles, motorbikes and even pedesterians spotting the yellow and red Crane’s jersey.

Kenyan fans started streaming in Kampala but hundreds could miss the match if they fail to acquire the match tickets as Federation of Uganda Football FUFA had set a deadline of 3.00 pm (Friday)for ticket sales.

Elvince Joshua in Kampala

© All rights reserved 

Additional reporting from agencies