So today Ugandans filled up Namboole in the much excitement and love for their country football club, The Uganda Cranes as the battled the Algerian national team on a cool warm Monday evening.
But here are the 5 dots that turned off the exodus of Ugandans that came to Namboole.
- dot 1. The Gates attempted massacre
So as some of us know, each ticket category had a unique color and each category was assigned a specific unique Gate into Namboole. For starters, Most Ugandan’s didn’t know the gates by names of Eastern, Southern, Northern, Southern and Western, rather they knew gates by common physical feature. so this made most them go round the over 10KMs of the stadium. And when finally at the hard searched for gate, to their surprise they were found locked with the guards send them away to the other gates where they were previously sent off from. This went on until it was 15Mins into the match and the masses forced their way through the front gates and rushed through the beatings of the armed police to the Ticket verification stands
- dot 2. Failed technology and metal traps like for rats
After the physical struggle, next the brain struggle combined with another set of physical battle, The tickets had QR codes and Oh Ya we were excited to have automated the ticket verification process forgetting the pitfalls of Qr codes and scanners, Out of 20 the scanner could recognize one Qr code, flashes a green light but Alas the metal barrier expected to open with then green light fails to rotate… meaning a valid ticket is now already checked in with the owner stranded still outside. This is where people demonstrated their elasticity and lack of borns but squeezing through the metal barrier in protest of the failed technology
- dot 3 The blue Tarpaulins or Matundubali instead of carpets
Don’t forget for five years Namboole was being renovated, so with this in mind all Ugandans expected a sparkling view once the entrance huddles are completed only to be welcomed by a blue mega Tarpaulin stitched together 4*3 Tarpaulins. In the pictures it looks as though a blue carpet but physical look at it left Ugandans asking for a refund
- dot 4. Stadium Sound that is too loud not to even awake a sleeping baby
Ok! enough with the disappointments, Ugandans decide to enjoy the music and announcements, remembering the ceiling speakers previously installed in the stands but they couldn’t hear them only to see a hand full of power speakers pilled up at one end of our Tarpaulins. The fan drummer in the stands sounded louder than the pile of speakers and they wished FUFA could have hired the drummer for entertainment and communication
- dot 5. No Style of play from Uganda Cranes
Wondering how we scored the first goal, the fans were heard and seen throwing cursing words to the players, coaching staff for the lack of commitment and purpose driven playing style. silly mistakes from the Midfielders and central defenders all set the moods low and vows of never returning to Namboole for Uganda cranes match ever again.
