The Federation of Uganda Football Associations (FUFA) has provisionally suspended five individuals from all football-related activities following preliminary investigations into suspected match manipulation in a Uganda Premier League (UPL) fixture between Kitara FC and Express FC on December 21, 2024.

The match, which ended in a historic 7-0 victory for Kitara FC—the heaviest defeat in Express FC’s top-flight history—triggered a FIFA betting integrity alert due to suspicious patterns indicating the game may have been fixed for betting purposes.

Reports suggested prior knowledge that Express would lose heavily and concede at least five goals.

The Investigatory Chamber of FUFA’s Ethics and Disciplinary Committee issued the provisional bans on March 12 or 13, 2026 pending full disciplinary proceedings to conclude within 90 days.

The suspended individuals are:Mike Mutyaba – former Uganda Cranes and KCCA FC midfielder, the alleged coordinator of the scheme, Ashraf Miiro – CEO of Express FC, accused of involvement in the plot, Emmanuel Kalyowa – goalkeeper for Express FC, allegedly recruited to influence events on the pitch, Ashraf Mbazira – defender for Express FC, linked to the manipulation and Ivan Katende, an individual with prior connections to match-fixing probes, accused of coordinating with Mutyaba.

Betting accounts tied to him reportedly won millions from a Tanzanian bookmaker before payouts were blocked due to suspected fraud.

FUFA stated: “To safeguard the integrity of the game, the Investigatory Chamber has provisionally suspended Mike Mutyaba, Ashraf Miiro, Emmanuel Kalyowa, Mbazira Ashraf and Katende Ivan from all football-related activities pending disciplinary proceedings.”

The federation has engaged Uganda’s Criminal Investigations Directorate (CID) to support the ongoing probe.

The suspensions bar the individuals from any participation in football until the disciplinary process is complete.

The case highlights growing concerns over betting-related integrity issues in Ugandan football, following FIFA’s alert on suspicious activity linked to the Kitara-Express result.

No formal charges have been confirmed yet, and the affected parties have not publicly responded in available reports.

FUFA emphasized its commitment to protecting the sport’s credibility amid the investigation.