By Sabir Musa

Arua

After 4 hours of a closed door joint stakeholders meeting on Thursday afternoon, officials from Onduparaka Football Club, Arua City Council and Madi & West Nile Diocese generated a resolution to draft new Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) within 2 weeks to manage Green light Stadium, the home playground of Onduparaka Football Club.

This comes just 5 days after Ayivu Division Town Clerk, Emmanuel Angudubo communicated takeover of the playground in a letter dated 23^rd June 2023 addressed to Onduparaka Football Club Chief Executive Officer citing challenges of managing the playground.

Shortly after the meeting chaired by Arua Resident City Commissioner, the Division Town Clerk, Emmanuel Angudubo revealed that the club will continue managing the playground as a new Memorandum of Understanding will be drafted. “We have come up with tangible decisions to ensure that whatever appeared to be conflict between the club, government and other stakeholders is resolved” he revealed.

Onduparaka Football Club Public Relations Officer, Godfrey Drabe welcomed the resolution which he said will clearly state roles of all the stakeholders involved in managing the playground. “The previous engagement (MoU) was not having city council (Ayivu Division) but in the next MoU, we are going to have 3 parties; Arua City Council, Onduparaka FC and Trustees of Church of Uganda (Madi and West Nile Diocese)where all the interests of all the parties will be involved in” the PRO said.

Ayivu Division Mayor, Malon Avutia calls for unity among different stakeholders in addressing such cases. He regrets the issues that happened within the few days that generated debate in public. “To the fans of Onduparaka FC, I want to say that I highly regret the incidences that have happened, my relationship with the club goes beyond politics” Mayor said.

On Friday, Arua City Woman MP, Maureen Osoru used the playground for an event to handover sewing machines which according to management of the club was without their consent. But following this meeting, the MP pledged to payoff damages caused during the event. “I have told them I need the costs so that they maintain according to standard of FUFA, so am waiting for the cost such that I can pay off the damages” she pledged.

However, the Estates Officer at Madi and West Nile Dioceses, Benzamin Drapari maintains that all the parties are expected to peaceful co-exist as they continue to play their roles on church land. “The stand of church as owner of that land is that we don’t want dispute, we want peaceful and harmonious living from all stakeholders” he appealed.

Within 2 weeks, Arua City Council Senior Legal Officer, Onduparaka Football Club Legal Officer and Chancellor of Madi and West Nile Diocese are expected to draft new Memorandum of Understanding that will include Arua City Council as one of the stakeholders.

COVER PHOTO: Officials of Onduparaka FC, Arua City Council, Madi & West Nile Diocese and security in a group photo after the meeting By Sabir Musa