Ex-Milan and Japanese soccer poster boy Keisuke Honda has spread his wings into Uganda by partnering with Azam Uganda Premier League (AUPL) side Bright Stars.
This will be seen as relief coming on the back Bright Stars players going nine months without pay last season.
Honda’s Soltilo Uganda Ltd, a subsidiary of the Honda Estilo Co Ltd, has taken over majority shares at the club.
Now at Mexican club Pachuca, Honda hinted on buying a soccer club in Uganda back in June during his three-day visit as United Nations Foundation Global Advocate for Youth.
“Since October last year, we have been doing investigation about the clubs to invest in throughout East Africa and we chose Bright Stars,” Soltilo Uganda Ltd director Yo Tabuchi revealed at Monday’s press conference in Matugga.
“We realized we share the same dreams with Bright Stars management and we believe we can attain our goals of taking Ugandan players for professional opportunities in Europe at this club.”
Tabuchi added: “Honda appreciated Ugandan talent and thinks this club will attain victory and feed the national team with players in years to come.”
Grace Kwizera, a co-director at the club, says the name will remain for now and that more drastic developments will follow as they aim to develop the club.