Inside Paidha Black Angels FC leadership crisis

By Mike Rwothomio

Established in 1979, Paidha Black Angels FC situated in Paidha town council Zombo district in Westnile Subregion is set to restructure its leadership that they believe will steer the club full speed ahead of the forthcoming 2023 -24  FUFA regional league season. #WhisperEyeNews

The Paidha town-based community club with thousands of fans most of whom are unregistered according to the leadership, has been for years going through a myriad of leadership crises. 

For the last 44 years that Paidha Black Angels FC has been in existence, it has participated Once in the 2018 _19  Uganda Premier League season, a top football league in the country. It shot itself into the big league in 2015 after struggling in the regional league for years.

The club got relegated in its maiden season in the Uganda Premier League owing to a battery of challenges that ranged from logistics, leadership and playing most of its important games away from their ” fortress Bar Okoro stadium” situated in Paidha town council Zombo district. The “stadium”  then never met the standard to host its home games according to the Uganda football governing body (FUFA).

After its relegation from the Uganda premier league, the club has free fallen to the regional league. This has led to an exodus of key players to other clubs.

The exodus of these players according to some sources never had a direct positive impact on the club’s financial status.

Though not documented anywhere, Paidha Black Angels is touted as the club with one of the biggest fans base in Ugandan football. This on several occasions has been attested by many sports analysts and football commentators across the country.

Recently, the club executives had a closed-door meeting to hatch a plan for reshaping the club’s leadership. However, in that meeting, the club chairperson Ms Daisy Birwinyu resigned according to sources who attended the meeting.

The club  Chairperson resigned on the grounds that she can’t work with some of the members proposed by the executives to take charge of the club as explained by the new club spin doctor Ms Giramia Peace Jalar.

Giramia further stressed that the meeting ended prematurely citing a misunderstanding. She also explained that Birwinyu declined to deputize a member called Robert Jakony, whom the club executives had proposed to be part of the team to steer the club.

“For the interest of the Public, this is how it went, the Adhoc Committee proposed Daisy either work together with Jakony or visa vie (where Jakony becomes the Chair and Daisy is the vice) or an interim committee is chosen. Daisy proposed that Jakony comes in as her vice or any other position but she will take the lead as her term states.

Jakony spoke but in his last remarks refuses this offer of working under the current leadership if it was not on the steering wheel. Then he proposes to be excluded in this small leadership wrangle and someone else is brought up as a club chair who is not him with whom Daisy would team but as a vice
It was from this point that the house went into endless discussions that didn’t yield positively. There was no harmony ad the meeting had to end.”, Giramia stated in a statement.

The club chairperson  Ms Daisy Birwinyu last week confirmed the news about her resignation from the club’s wasup group.

Without divulging more details,  Birwinyu stressed that whether her contribution to the club can be recognized or not, she has decided to resign.

” From today onwards, I have decided to step down, whether my contribution can be recognized or not. I have ended my role as the Paidha Black Angels FC club chairperson” Birwinyu who has been at the helm of the club for nearly two years said.

The club’s chief executive officer Yahaya Bhakit briefly commented on some misunderstandings that are unfolding in the club. 

“It’s abysmal that as people who support the same club, we cannot always understand each other even when we come to a round table”, Yahaya said.

As Paidha Black Angels are trying to restructure the club leadership in the lead-up to the forthcoming regional league season, The club that has a rich history in the region faces competition from rival clubs in the greater Nebbi subregion.

Apparently, more than seven football clubs from Greater  Nebbi have shot their way through to the regional league, meaning these clubs will be dining on the same table in a battle of supremacy in the district of Zombo, Nebbi, Pakwach not forgetting clubs from other parts of West Nile all eyeing for the big league football.

Rivals that are thorns in the flesh of Paidha Black Angels are,  Nebbi Central Fc and Paidha United SC.

Recently, A football match between Paidha black angels FC and their rival Paidha United SC turned out chaotic and bloody following a goal that was scored by the visiting Paidha United SC. Fans later blamed the fracas on ” poor match officiation”. Both clubs were later slapped with bans and fines by the West Nile regional football association.

For years, the club has been witnessing the reigns of different leaders and coaches, however, winning the hearts of the fans has been a hard pill to swallow given the changing characters of most of the ” enthusiastic fans”.

According to the current club C.E.O Yahaya Bhakit, the major issue the club is encountering is a power struggle.

“I see it just as a power struggle from many people with too much ego which they think is bigger than the club” Yahaya noted.

Paidha Black Angels FC which has a strong footing in the region, swims in mega support from movers and shakers in the world of Politics, religion and culture in the area.

The LC3 chairperson of Paidha town council Innocent Godfred Onega said all hands should be on the deck to support the club.

“PBSC is a big club known all over the northern region and Ituri Region, guided by the club and DFA and also constitution. Nothing else, and leaders make them understand, let them know the protocol too.I must thank those who love PBSC at heart and what to see us progressing peacefully”Onega said

Additionally, what has been affecting the club to the brim is the illegal movement of players to Eastern DR Congo. These players are reportedly higher by  DRC clubs with strong financial muscles to play games without the club’s authority. This has culminated in players sustaining injuries leaving the club helpless at some points.

The club largely depends on gate fee collection and contributions from wellwishers to keep it afloat thanks to undivided support from everyone.

In 2021, the former club coach Allan Kabonge who once steered the club to Uganda’s premier league blamed the then club’s below-par performance to the constant movement of players to DRC without the club’s notice.

Additionally, fans have been directing accusations on leaders who fail to control players’ movement to DRC to play for Clubs that side yet they are contracted.

The club has had a bunch of issues arising from fans since it’s basically a community club. For a long, there have been accusations directed at the club leadership in regard to the funds’ management of the club. However, no fan has come out clearly to state how the funds have been mismanaged by the club Leadership.

Notwithstanding the myriad of challenges, the fans, business community, and politicians amongst others have been standing in the gap for the club and many say they are committed to supporting the club until.

In a bid to strike changes in the club, there are going to be sweeping leadership changes in the club the Whisper Eye News understands.

Fans’ reaction to the club’s leadership crisis.

Emmanuel Ocircan said, “Where our club is heading to we need serious prayers coz if not we really don’t know where the all wrangles will end”.

One Jagaban said” I think those who were against the current leadership can now rejoice. But I hope they will lead with perfection without shortfalls. God Bless PBA” 

One Inke stressed ” And the trend will continue, whoever will want to take over the club leadership will brainwash some few fans and attack the incumbents.

It’s not the first time & I think it won’t be the last that the club leadership term ends prematurely.

How can the club gain its lost glory if we are still fighting each other? This will continue dividing the fans”