Bentiu’s football community has taken a bold step in reshaping the future of the sport in Unity State, as the local football association leadership was impeached over allegations of corruption and mismanagement.
In a historic first, the association held an extraordinary assembly on May 13, 2025, at the Bentiu Youth Center, where club representatives voiced their frustration over financial irregularities, lack of transparency, and absentee leadership.
The impeachment effectively suspends all football activities in the state until a new administration is elected.
Speaking to the media, Laat Tunguar, manager of Upper Nile Football Club, emphasized that the decision stemmed from prolonged governance failures.
“The leadership was based in Juba and neglected football development in Bentiu. Corruption and poor management have crippled the association, forcing clubs to take this decisive action,” he stated.
Concerns over financial mismanagement were among the key reasons for the leadership’s removal.
Players, referees, and administrators had long raised alarms about missing funds and misrepresentation of reports to UNMISS headquarters in Juba, which further distorted the severity of the crisis.
A call for an extraordinary general assembly was initially made on March 28, invoking Article 6 of the constitution, but with all board members stationed in Juba, no action was taken, the inaction further fueling discontent within the football community, leading to unanimous support for the impeachment.
In response to the leadership vacuum, a temporary steering committee has been nominated to oversee operations for the next two months until fresh elections are conducted to appoint new leaders.
Efforts to reach out to Bentiu Local Football Association leadership were futile by the time of this publication.
While the Bentiu football scene faces uncertainty, stakeholders hope this restructuring will bring accountability, transparency, and stronger leadership, ultimately reviving the sport in Unity State.
