Express Football Club signed a one-year partnership deal with Equity Bank Uganda worth Shs100 million renewable subject to performance.

Days after taking over as Express FC chairman, Kiryowa Kiwanuka’s influence appears to be rubbing the promises in the eyes of Red Eagles fans. The club on Thursday announced a Shs100 million one-year partnership with Equity Bank Uganda.

For a partnership that is testing the waters provided by the Wankuluku-based club, the money might look small but the vote of confidence is not. Besides, there is a whole lot of difference between partnership and sponsorship and FC will be happy with how things are panning out.

Announcing the marriage in Kampala on Thursday, Kiwanuka said: “This partnership with Equity Bank is based on discipline, results and good organization. It has been considered and weighed. During my leadership, I will concentrate on two major sections at Express FC– the players and fans.

“We are known as “Mukwano Gw’abangi” for a reason. The fans will need to use the Equity Express Card for a cost of Shs50,000 per season. This card will be the membership for the Express fans for the running season with benefits to watch all home games.”

Kiwanuka said digitization is the way to go.

“We want to digitize Express Football Club with the Equity Express Card,” he added.

The bank has designed a digital card dubbed, “Equity Express Card,” that will be issued to club fans to used as identity to access all the home matches, as well as for other operations as the ATM.

Anthony Kituuka, the executive director at Equity Bank, expressed delight in the partnership with Express.

“Equity Bank is honoured to partner with a club that has a strong heritage and has continuously shown resilience and growth registering various successes on and off the football field,” he said.

Since the partnership is based on results, the chairman set finishing at least fourth in the league as his immediate target.

“My partners want results so we need a position not lower than fourth. The technical team is exerting pressure on me for sponsorship and I am returning the pressure to them and the players. It is a give and take situation where everyone has to play their part,” he said.

“I’m accepting 4th for this season just because of what we have been going through and new management but next season we are going for it – the league title. We want to be number one, that’s where we belong. On the top.”

The new partnership between the club and Equity Bank will move to strengthen the club as well as create awareness for the club’s fans and the bank’s customers.