The Speaker of Uganda’s Parliament, Anitah Among, has directed the State Minister for Sports to provide a detailed statement regarding the status of Namboole Stadium and the accountability of the significant sum of Shs97 billion allocated for its renovation.
During a parliamentary session, Speaker Among expressed concerns over the readiness of Namboole Stadium, particularly in light of the upcoming qualifiers against Algeria. She highlighted that despite Morocco’s offer to host the matches for free, Algeria has declined due to concerns about the stadium’s condition. Speaker Among urged the Minister to provide clarity on the situation and a plan for the way forward.
Chief Opposition Whip, Hon. Nambeshe, echoed these concerns, emphasizing the slow progress of works at Mandela National Stadium, Namboole. He stressed the urgency of completing the facility to avoid missing out on hosting the World Cup qualifiers. Hon. Nambeshe called on the government to identify and address the issues causing delays.
The renovation of Namboole Stadium began in 2019, led by the engineering brigade of the Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF). The project involved securing land titles, perimeter fencing, and internal renovations, including upgrading changing rooms, seats, and floodlights. The entire cost of the project is covered by the Government of Uganda.
During a visit to Namboole by the First Lady and Minister of Education and Sports, Janet Museveni in February, State Minister of Sports, Hon. Peter Ogwang, reported that the works were 84% complete and projected to be finished by June 1, 2024. He appealed to the First Lady to expedite the release of the remaining 17.7 billion shillings needed to finalize the refurbishment.
Uganda is meant to host Botswana and Algeria on the 3rd and 10th of June 2024, respectively in the World Cup qualifiers.
