The Uganda Cranes’ participation in the ongoing CHAN 2024 tournament has been overshadowed by controversy surrounding their accommodation at Crane’s Paradise Hotel in Kisaasi, a facility widely believed to be linked to Speaker of Parliament Anita Among.
A viral video last week showed the national team players maneuvering through a dusty, ghetto-like environment at the hotel.
The images provoked outrage among Ugandans who questioned why their team, representing the country on an international stage, was subjected to such conditions while visiting squads were hosted in four- and five-star hotels equipped with modern facilities.
The Local Organizing Committee (LOC) quickly sought to absolve itself of responsibility, with spokesperson Dr. Dennis Mugimba clarifying that the decision was not theirs.
According to Mugimba, the Federation of Uganda Football Associations (FUFA) and the Confederation of African Football (CAF) were in charge of accommodation, with CAF covering expenses using part of the 13 million dollars injected by the Ugandan government into the tournament.
Yet, critics argue that the choice of Crane’s Paradise hotel cannot be divorced from its long and controversial history. Back in November 2020, local media reported that the Cranes had been lodged at the same facility while it was still under construction.
Journalists then found players occupying rooms where workers were installing windows, while builders continued work on the extension wing. The headline at the time read: “Uganda Cranes’ players sleep at ‘building site’.”
The following year, in 2021, the team was again housed at the hotel ahead of a qualifier. Reports indicated that players complained of construction noise, poor amenities, and disruptions that compromised their camp experience.
Despite these issues, FUFA continued to defend the choice, once pointing to the “patriotic” name of the hotel as justification.
This year, however, the backlash has taken a sharper turn because of the alleged ownership of the facility. Crane’s Paradise Hotel is widely believed to belong to Speaker Anita Among, whose husband Moses Magogo also serves as FUFA president.
This overlap has fueled accusations of a conflict of interest, with critics suggesting that personal financial gain may be prioritized over the players’ welfare.
Social media erupted with anger as fans drew attention to this link. One viral post accused the Speaker of turning the Cranes into a “money-making project,” arguing that the comfort and dignity of the national team had been sacrificed for political and financial interests.
Adding to the frustration are stark comparisons with visiting teams. While the Cranes trudge through dust to reach their rooms, opponents enjoy internationally rated hotels complete with gyms, swimming pools, and full-board services.
“Uganda Cranes deserved to sleep at a better place,” one fan wrote on X. Another decried the repeated use of the same facility despite past complaints, calling it a clear “lack of respect” for the players carrying Uganda’s flag.
With the team still fighting for a place in the knockout stages, the focus has shifted uncomfortably from the pitch to the politics surrounding player welfare.
The Cranes, who top Group C, are set to face South Africa’s Bafana Bafana in a decisive clash. A victory would secure their progression, but off-field debates continue to overshadow preparations.
Whether driven by patriotism, politics, or profit, the persistence of Crane’s Paradise Hotel in housing the national team has left fans with unanswered questions, and a bitter feeling that the players deserve better.
