Dr. Lawrence Mulindwa is a Ugandan teacher, business man and entrepreneur who serves as the director and president of a football club, Vipers SC. He is the former president of the Uganda football governing board FUFA where he served for nine straight years, the second longest serving FUFA president after Kabaka Daudi Chwa in (1924-1932).[1] He is also the executive director and former Head teacher of the school St. Mary's Secondary School Kitende.[2]
He was born in 1965 at Kanyike Kamengo, Mpigi and he is Vipers SC's majority shareholder and a back bone of the six-time Uganda Premier League winners with 90% shares. He started his administration career as a Chairman of Bunamwaya FC now known as Vipers SC from 2000 to 2004.[3] Later on he left that position to Tadeus Kitandwe to contest for FUFA presidency which later achieved On 17 December 2005, after beating Chris Rwanika who was his immediate rival.[4]
Achievements as FUFA president
He settled outstanding debts for the Federation which included recovery of the land title for the FUFA House in Mengo.
More capacity building courses were conducted during his time and Uganda Cranes was unbeaten at home for eight years.
Inter-regional competitions were re-instated, FUFA awards were introduced, Uganda lifted the Cecafa Senior Challenge Cup for four times, and more sponsorship deals from many companies were signed; as well as enjoying relations with fans, Government, CAF and FIFA.[5]
On Viper Sports Club
In 2013, he left FUFA,[6] to put his attention on Vipers SC with an aim and a dream of making it the best Football Club in Uganda and on the African continent and this enabled the club to win six league titles, also triumphed in Uganda Cup, Fufa Super Cup and Fufa Super 8 Cup and has qualified to the CAF Champions League group stages becoming only the second Ugandan club to do so after KCCA.[7]
In March 2017, the football investor became the first Ugandan to own a private stadium called St. Mary's Stadium-Kitende. This was officially opened to the public with a CAF confederation cup game against Platinum Stars from South Africa which the Venoms beat 1–0.[8] It was expanded to 600 more VIP seats totaling 1,500 VIP seats and 25,000 overall seats, making it the second largest stadium in Uganda.[9]
In 2019, He unveiled a factory manufactured club bus, the first in Uganda with a club name on the number plate,[10] and opened a state of the art gym at the stadium.[11]
On St. Mary's Boarding Secondary School, Kitende.
In 2001, he started a secondary school St. Mary's Boarding Secondary School Kitende, commonly called St. Mary's Kitende to provide a world class education and promote sports in Uganda. The school has since gone on to become a leading academic and sports institution. It has been consistently ranked as the best in both Uganda Certificate of Education (UCE) and Uganda Advanced Certificate of Education (UACE), not without controversy.
The school is also a sports giant in Uganda as well as in East Africa. In Uganda, it holds the highest number of cup wins (11) [12] in high school football, joint with Kibuli SS. In East African high school games, the school won the boys' football cup for ten consecutive years between 2003 and 2013 and the female's netball cup for a record 14 consecutive years between 2003 and 2017.[13]
The school is credited with extending good education to Ugandans from all walks of life due to its inclusivity compared to more selective traditional schools.
St. Mary's Kitende is also well known for grooming talents to the Senior team producing footballing stars like
- Jungu Methodius,
- Bengo Steven,
- Balinya Juma,
- Paul Mucureezi,
- Geoffrey Wasswa
- Lwaliwa Halid,
- Anthony Bongole,
- Yuda Mugalu,
- Alitho James,
- Ismail Watenga,
- Murushid Juuko,
- Dan Wagaluka,
- Ibrahim Juma,
- Kizito Luwagga,
- Muhammad Shaban
- Kizito Keziron,
- Mike Mutyaba,
- Deus Bukenya,
- Nicholas Wadada,
- Birikwalira Dan Danucho
- Siraje Sentamu,
- Mandela Ashraf,
- Farouk Miya
- Godfrey Walusimbi
Awards
On 13 December 2018, he was awarded an honorary doctorate degree from London graduate school in honour of his contributions towards development of education and sports which he received during the 15th Dubai leadership summit in UAE.[14]
References
- ^ "Mulindwa to quit FUFA after 9 years". www.newvision.co.ug. Retrieved 4 August 2020.
- ^ Nangonzi, Yudaya. "Kitende will remain top in the country - Mulindwa". The Observer - Uganda. Retrieved 5 August 2020.
- ^ "Dr Lawrence Mulindwa, A True Football Icon". ChimpReports. 31 March 2020. Retrieved 4 August 2020.
- ^ "Obua roots for Mulindwa". www.newvision.co.ug. Retrieved 4 August 2020.
- ^ "Toasting to a football icon of our times on his big day – Dr Lawrence Mulindwa". Vipers SC Official Website. 28 March 2020. Retrieved 5 August 2020.
- ^ Kigongo, Ismail Dhakaba (28 April 2017). "The path to becoming Fufa president". Daily Monitor. Retrieved 4 August 2020.
- ^ "Vipers SC target KCCA FC Champions League record, Express FC woes blamed on structures | Goal.com". www.goal.com. Retrieved 4 August 2020.
- ^ "Mulindwa's deeds are on the rooftop". www.newvision.co.ug. Retrieved 4 August 2020.
- ^ "Vipers SC's St Mary's stadium expanded ahead of Champions League assignments | Goal.com". www.goal.com. Retrieved 4 August 2020.
- ^ Isabirye, David (30 July 2019). "Vipers SC ease transport means with team bus". Kawowo Sports. Retrieved 4 August 2020.
- ^ "Vipers SC unveils new gym". The Independent Uganda. 17 July 2019. Retrieved 5 August 2020.
- ^ "USSSA Games 2023: St Mary's Kitende clinch 11th title". 20 May 2023. Retrieved 29 May 2023.
- ^ "Past winners of FEASSSA games".
- ^ "Vipers' Mulindwa gets doctorate from London school". The Observer - Uganda. Retrieved 4 August 2020.
This page was last edited on 30 November 2023, at 10:37