World football governing body FIFA has handed worldwide bans to three Ugandan football figures following a match-fixing scandal stemming from a 2024 league fixture involving Express FC and Kitara FC.
The FIFA Disciplinary Committee has confirmed that former Uganda Cranes striker and ex-Express FC assistant head coach Mike Mutyaba, goalkeeper Emmanuel Kalyowa, and former club CEO Miiro Ashraf Mwanje have all been banned from all football-related activities worldwide, effective March 12, 2026.
The sanctions follow investigations into manipulation of a Uganda Premier League match played in 2024.
The game in question ended in a dominant 7-0 victory for Kitara, with George Ssenkaaba scoring a hat-trick, Jude Ssemugabi netting twice, and Fred Amaku and David Ndihabwe adding a goal each.
FIFA said the decision has been formally communicated to all relevant parties, extending earlier domestic punishments to the international stage.
The case of Mbazira Ashiraf remains under review by the FIFA Disciplinary Committee, with a final ruling yet to be issued.
Earlier FUFA sanctions extended globally
The latest action also reinforces earlier decisions taken by the Federation of Uganda Football Associations (FUFA), whose Ethics and Disciplinary Committee in 2024 sanctioned several players and match officials over similar offenses.
Among those already serving FIFA-recognised global bans are Saleh Maganda (five years), Franco Oringa (five years), Godfrey Lwesibawa (five years), Yahaya Mahad Kakooza (five years), Andrew Waiswa (five years), George Nkurunziza (10 years), and Deogracious Opio (10 years).
FIFA’s move signals a continued crackdown on match manipulation, ensuring that individuals sanctioned at national level cannot operate in any other football jurisdiction worldwide.
The global bans effectively end the trio’s participation in football activities, including coaching, playing, or administrative roles, across all FIFA member associations.
