Buganda Katikkiro Charles Peter Mayiga says he will formally engage the Federation of Uganda Football Associations over proposals he believes could give deeper inspiration to the Uganda Cranes, following a public debate he initiated on the national team.
In a post shared on X, Mayiga revealed the results of a poll based on four ideas he suggested, including a possible change of the national team name, the adoption of definite team colours, the introduction of a national team anthem, and the removal of government parastatals and agencies from the Uganda Premier League and lower divisions.
The poll showed strong support for retaining the current identity of the team, with 52 percent voting to keep the name Uganda Cranes, while 32 percent supported a change to “the SPEARS”. On team colours, only 22 percent backed the idea of adopting definite colours, with the majority indicating that colours do not significantly influence national team inspiration.
Support for a national team anthem was more evenly split, with 48 percent of respondents backing the proposal. Meanwhile, 46 percent supported the idea of eliminating government parastatals and agencies from domestic league football, a topic that has often sparked debate around professionalism and independence in Ugandan football.
Mayiga said the exercise was aimed at sparking reflection on how to strengthen national pride and emotional connection to the team. “Still on the National Football Team. Here are the results from the debate on the 4 factors I suggested about giving deeper inspiration to the Cranes,” he wrote, before adding, “I am going to engage with FUFA on these issues and present my views officially…for the love of the Beautiful Game. CPM”.
The Katikkiro’s comments come at a time when discussions around identity, governance, and long term development continue to shape conversations about the future direction of Ugandan football.
