Uganda Premier League champions SC Villa Chief Executive Officer William Nkemba has emphatically stated that Emmanuel Ajo is the club’s player, dismissing claims that the 23-year-old had signed for their Premier League rivals NEC.
Speaking in an exclusive interview with Uganda Fan TV YouTube channel, Nkemba asserted that Villa signed Ajo following all the necessary legal procedures governing player transfers.
“The Club (SC Villa) using the official handles, announced that Emmanuel Ajo is our player because we signed him, and signed him through the right means,” he said. “He is going to be part of us next season.” He added
The CEO’s assertion echoed the statement made by the club’s PRO, Asan Kasingye on his X platform last Wednesday, where he stated, “The club has completed the signing of Emmanuel Ajo from Busoga United FC with the approval of FUFA.”
Nkemba’s comments came after NEC had earlier unveiled Ajo as one of their new signings, only to delete the post on their social media handles later, after it emerged that Villa had also signed the same player.
Nkemba also dismissed reports that the club had suspended one of their players, Gavin Kizito, stating that Villa does not have the authority to unilaterally ban players without due disciplinary proceedings.
“I’ve not yet heard about the ban. Villa doesn’t have the authority to ban players. But we have the authority to ensure that we help our players to follow the club’s principles,” Nkemba explained.
“Our relationship with players is based on the contracts we make with them, but there are also other sets of rules that govern the relationship.”
“There’s nothing that has yet been undertaken by the club regarding banning any players, Gavin inclusive. There have to be disciplinary proceedings before a player is suspended, and that hasn’t happened as yet,” the CEO, who is also a former Villa player added.
The CEO further addressed the club’s financial standing, reassuring fans that SC Villa is not in trouble and that they will only pay transfer fees they can afford, rejecting claims that they do not value their players.
“Everyone knows the depth of his pocket. We pay players according to what we can afford. We won’t pay transfer fees we can’t afford,” Nkemba said.
Looking ahead to the new season, the Villa CEO acknowledged the increased pressure on the club as defending champions but expressed confidence in the team’s ability to retain the league title.
“Teams will no longer be playing with the old Villa. They will be playing with Villa as defending champions, which means that we also have to elevate our standards,” Nkemba concluded.
