President Yoweri Museveni has given Uganda Cranes a sh3.7 billion ($1million) reward for their performance at the ongoing Africa Nations Cup finals.
The president made this offer during a dinner he hosted in favour of the team that returned earlier yesterday from Cairo, where they were knocked out in the Last-16 stage by Senegal.
“I’m very happy that the Cranes went up to the last 16. I know we will perform better next time. I will organise 1m dollars with the government to distribute it among the players and officials. Of course, the officials will not get as much as the players,” President Museveni said.
Adding that, “Although we didn’t win all our fixtures, we made a good effort and achieved some reasonable success.”
This is the first time Uganda Cranes team gets to the knock-out stage since 1978. The team was headed by their captain, Dennis Onyango, and FUFA officials led by their president, Moses Magogo.
Other officials included sports state minister Charles Bakkabulindi among others.
Mr. Museveni who punctuated his talk with afew jokes also wondered how Senegal got that goal against Uganda considering that all the Cranes players were young and fit.
“I don’t know how Senegal got that goal. I see our players are all fit young people,” he said.
The president cautioned the players to avoid alcohol and womanising. He noted that in the past, Ugandan sports men have not lived a good adult life.
He advised the players to work for their old age when still young so as not to live miserably.
Museveni also used the same occasion to warn those people who bring partisan politics in games, adding that if you see anyone doing it, you know they are unserious.
“Drunkards enjoy games; thieves suspend stealing for 90 minutes. Games are good therapy for society,” Museveni said.
