‘I Returned Home To Rescue My Club From Selfish Wolves’-Says Misagga As He Demands Structural Reforms

By Swift Reporter

Former SC Villa president Immanuel Ben Misagga has reflected on his return to Uganda in 2014, saying he came back to help rescue the historic club at a time when it faced deep leadership and financial crises.

According to Misagga, the club’s instability worsened after 2010 when new management struggled to stabilise operations. The situation, he says, had significantly deteriorated by 2014, with the club reportedly at risk of losing its home ground at Villa Park due to unpaid lease arrears.

Misagga says several football administrators and government officials approached him while he was in Zambia, urging him to return and help revive the struggling club.

“When I came back, the situation required urgent intervention,” he said in a reflective account of his time at the club.

Upon his return, Misagga says he offered a financial lifeline in the form of a Shs300 million loan to help stabilise operations, sign players and address pressing financial obligations.

Later that year, he was elected club president unopposed in an election supervised by Federation of Uganda Football Associations after paying the required nomination fee.

Once in office, Misagga says he began restructuring the club’s administration and working to clear outstanding financial obligations, including the lease issues at Villa Park.

He also launched mobilisation drives aimed at rebuilding support among fans and stakeholders.

The efforts, he says, began to yield results on the pitch. During the 2014–2015 season, SC Villa finished second in the league before going on to win the Uganda Cup.

Reflecting on the experience, Misagga has called for structural reforms within the club, warning that continued leadership disputes could undermine its future.

He argues that historically the club has lacked clear governance structures, leaving it vulnerable to power struggles and financial instability.

“When I took over, the club did not have proper corporate structures or strong administrative systems,” he said.

Misagga believes the long-term success of the club will depend on stronger leadership, financial transparency and unity among stakeholders.

He added that learning from past leadership conflicts and building a stable institutional framework will be key to safeguarding the future of one of Uganda’s most successful football clubs.