FUFA LEGAL DEPARTMENT

FUFA as the regulator of football in Uganda is committed to the principles of the rule of law and good governance. Therefore, the legal department is vital in the operations of the institution.

In order to achieve the FUFA Vision, the Legal department was aligned into sections guided by the FUFA Strategic plan for efficient implementation of the tasks.

The various sectors handled by the department are inclusive of; Commercial and corporate law, Intellectual property, Litigation, day-to-day legal guidance on the operations of the institution, compliance and Judicial Bodies inclusive of the FUFA Disciplinary Panel, the Ethics and Disciplinary Committee, Dispute resolution chamber, referee Disciplinary panel.

The Legal Department ensures proper guidance for FUFA to practice good governance, integrity, and compliance with the football statutes and Regulations.

Due to the Professionalisation and commercialization of the Game of football in Uganda, court battles have been registered by stakeholders (internal and external) ranging from commercial transactions, involving service providers, etc.

Therefore, the legal department is immensely involved in court cases by way of conducting research, preparing first-hand pleading for the external lawyers, appearing in court on behalf of FUFA, and in some cases representing FUFA to reduce the high cost of Lawyers.

The legal department also works as the secretariat to the judicial bodies entrusted with the duty of giving legal advice to the members of the committees to guide them while making decisions from the various committees.

Under the commercial arm, the Legal office drafts commercial contracts with FUFA partners, sponsors, and service providers.

The legal department has seen through the registration process of the various legal entities owned by FUFA inclusive of the FUFA Hospitality and Events Limited, FUFA Sportswear Limited, and FUFA Media Services, and does the day-to-do compliance requirements for the various entities as required.

The department has also seen to it that the various intellectual properties owned by the federation are duly registered and protected with the Uganda Registration Services Bureau inclusive of the FUFA logo, janzi (for the FUFA Sport Ware Ltd), UPL(Uganda Premier League), etc.

The legal department has also seen through the transfer of all properties owned by FUFA to the Registered Trustees of FUFA as the institution trades under the registered trustees.

Pursuant to article 62 of the FUFA Statutes, there is established a FUFA Judicial Commission with various FUFA judicial bodies. These judicial bodies are to be composed in such a way that the members have the knowledge, abilities, and specialist experience that is necessary for the due completion of their tasks. The chairperson, deputy chairperson, and members of these committees need to fulfill the independence criteria as defined by the FUFA statutes. They are elected by the FUFA delegates.

The judicial bodies carry out various judicial bodies as elaborated herein below:

The legal department through its Legal team led by the Legal manager was handed the responsibility of performing the duty of the secretary to all the Five FUFA Disciplinary, ethics, and Appeals Committees.

This responsibility encompasses commencing the disciplinary process by preparing the files for the committees and carrying out research for all the committees.

There is an FUFA Judicial Commission (FJC), which is composed of the following categories of bodies:

1. FUFA Disciplinary Panel
2. Investigatory Chamber
3. Adjudicatory Chamber
4. Referee Disciplinary panel
5. Appeals Committee

The FUFA Judicial Commission is independent in the decision-making of any other bodies or offices or individual persons. The judicial bodies shall consist of a chairperson, a deputy chairperson, and a specific number of other members.

The FUFA Judicial Commission shall be composed in such a way that the members, together, have the knowledge, abilities, and specialist experience that is necessary for the due completion of their tasks.

All members of the FUFA Judicial Commission undergo an integrity check prior to their election or re-election.

The Audit and Compliance Committee conducts this integrity check for all members of the FUFA Judicial Commission. The term of office of all members is two (2) years. The members may be re-elected or relieved of their duties at any time, although they may only be relieved of their duties by the General Assembly.

The judicial commission operates as herein below:

There is a Chairperson of the FUFA Judicial Commission. The role of the Chairperson of the FUFA Judicial Commission is to superintend, administer, and enforce fair and fast justice of the entire FUFA Judicial Commission. There is a Deputy Chairperson of the FUFA Judicial Commission who deputizes the Chairperson and acts upon delegation by or in periods of unavailability of the Chairperson.

FUFA DISCIPLINARY PANEL

The FUFA Disciplinary Panel is a composite part of the FUFA Judicial Commission. The role of the FDP is to primarily interpret and apply FUFA Rules in matters of competition and those assigned by the Chairperson of the FUFA Judicial Commission that do not require intensive investigations or do not have complex factual or legal issues.

INVESTIGATORY CHAMBER

The role of the Investigatory Chamber is to investigate and present final findings to the Adjudicatory Chamber.

ADJUDICATORY CHAMBER

The role of the Adjudicatory Chamber is to make judicial decisions on matters that have complex factual or legal issues and on the findings of the Investigatory Chamber

REFEREE DISCIPLINARY PANEL

The role of the referee disciplinary panel is to handle disciplinary matters with match officials

APPEALS COMMITTEE

There is the Appeals Committee. One of the roles of the Appeals Committee is to hear appeals against decision of the FUFA Competitions Disciplinary Panel and/or the Adjudicatory Chamber.