Under the Lugogo floodlights in a match that was supposed to wrap up Match-day 28 on Wednesday night, NEC FC stepped onto the pitch ready for battle. But as referee Solomon Jjumba led the teams out at 8pm, one side was missing.
Buhimba United Saints never showed up and the Uganda Premier League fixture was eventually declared a forfeit after NEC completed the pre-match routines alone, turning what should have been a competitive encounter into a silent confirmation of a deeper crisis.
For Buhimba, this was another sign of a club in freefall. The Hoima-based side’s absence comes amid worsening financial struggles that have crippled operations in recent weeks.
On Tuesday, their head coach resigned, citing months without pay since joining the club.
The players, also affected by unpaid salaries, reportedly refused to travel to Kampala for the fixture, demanding settlement before fulfilling the match.
It was a situation that had been building. In their previous game against Express FC in Hoima, Buhimba arrived late before going on to lose, already showing signs of instability.
Now, things have gone further, Buhimba sit bottom of the Uganda Premier League with 15 points, and the consequences of failing to honour the NEC fixture could be severe.
Under FUFA rules, the club risks a forfeit and an additional three point deduction, a punishment that would confirm relegation to the FUFA Big League.
While NEC FC trained, prepared, and walked out ready to play, Buhimba United Saints simply did not appear leaving behind a match that never was, and a club facing an uncertain future.
