The Federation of Uganda Football Associations (Fufa) President Moses Magogo has explained how departed Jackson 'Bell' Tushabe was a key figure in his administrative growth.
Tushabe, a founder of former Ugandan team Victors FC, died on June 30 and in a moving tribute, Magogo explains how the retired army officer helped him when they worked together at Fufa.
"Yesterday, 30th June 2020, I woke up to a text message from someone on the bedside of Colonel Bell communicating the passing on of the decorated soldier. It was just a few minutes from the moment he breathed his last," Magogo wrote on Facebook.
"'Afande is gone' that was all in the message. Agonising news but it was the reality.
"Although I had heard about a football enthusiastic, military man who owned a football club called Victors, I first physically met Brigadier General Tushabe Jackson 'Bell' on 17th December 2005 then popularly known as Colonel Bell [Afande].
"His first words to me were, 'Anatunda omupiira kati sasi' meaning whoever sells a match will now be shot by a bullet; of course humorous and joking as he always was."
The Caf Executive Committee member gave a detailed explanation of how the Brigadier at one point helped him keep his Fufa job.
"We had just been appointed members of the Executive Committee of Fufa by Dr Lawrence Mulindwa in his maiden term as Fufa president," Magogo explains.
"In the first Executive committee of Fufa, he was appointed Chairman of the Competitions Committee and I was appointed the secretary of the Competitions Committee. He became directly my boss.
"The Secretary Competitions Committee was one of the most demanding and yet powerful positions in football then and our revolution was to clean up competitions that had gone to the dogs with match-fixing and hooliganism.
"I signed my own player license on behalf of Fufa for two seasons before a coup was arranged by Mr Mugisha to stop me from playing [A story for another day].
"The success we made to restore the integrity and improvement of competitions had the great input of both Colonel Bell and Dr Mulindwa as my bosses.
"Colonel Bell my chairman provided me with all the support and cover I needed. I can confidently say I am the administrator that I am today because I was groomed and allowed to blossom directly by Colonel.
"Colonel Bell was my chairman for six years and he accommodated my mistakes, directed me where I was going off the rail, and protected me where I was right against many."