The FUFA Disciplinary Panel has taken action against NEC head coach Hussein Mbalangu following his controversial remarks about match officials after his team’s 2-1 victory over Kitara on April 10.
The coach has been fined UGX 1,000,000 and handed a two-match suspended ban for breaching Article 13 of the FUFA Ethics and Disciplinary Code.
Mbalangu’s punishment stems from his post-match comments where he openly criticised referee Dick Okello’s decision to send off Enock Ssebaggala during the match.
“They fouled Ssebaggala first but the referee didn’t call it,” Mbalangu said.
“Instead, he reacts to the second challenge and sends him off. Is that fairness? Let teams win through hard work, not by being supported. That’s not football.” He added.
In a subsequent interview on April 15, Mbalangu offered a partial apology while standing by his initial comments.
“As Mbalangu, I was not happy after the game,” he said. “But in our Islamic religion, one doesn’t stay angry beyond three days. I apologize to anyone I annoyed, but I maintain what I said was right.”
The suspended nature of the ban means Mbalangu will only miss two matches if he repeats similar conduct in the future.
For now, he remains free to oversee NEC’s upcoming fixtures against Mbale Heroes on Friday, April 25 and Mbarara City on April 30 as his team continues their pursuit of league leaders Vipers SC.
The disciplinary action comes as NEC sit second in the Uganda Premier League, five points behind Vipers with several crucial matches remaining in the season.
Meanwhile, Express have also been slapped with a UGX 1,000,000 fine by the FUFA Disciplinary Panel following their fans’ violent conduct during their heated 2-2 draw against Vipers on April 11.
