After years of anticipation and delays, the construction of the Akii Bua Olympic Stadium in Lira is finally set to begin.
The historic moment arrived on Friday, December 6th, 2024, with the signing of the contract between the Ugandan government and the Egyptian construction firm, SAMCO, at State House, Nakasero.
This signing was witnessed by First Lady and Minister of Education and Sports, Hon. Janet Museveni alongside officials from SAMCO and the National Council of Sports.
State Minister of Sports, Hon. Peter Ogwang, confirmed the news in a tweet stating, “Deal done! Yesterday, we signed the contract for the construction of Akii Bua Olympic Stadium at State House, Nakasero.”
This development marks a significant milestone for Ugandan sports. The 30,000-seater stadium, named after the legendary Olympic gold medalist John Akii-Bua, is a key component of Uganda’s preparations to co-host the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations tournament alongside Kenya and Tanzania.
The stadium is designed to be a multi-purpose facility, accommodating not only football matches but also various other sporting events.
To ensure the timely completion of the project, reports suggest that the Ugandan government is set to release approximately $200 million (UGX 730 billion) in January for both the Akii Bua and Hoima stadiums.
Furthermore, both construction companies, SAMCO and SUMMA (responsible for the Hoima stadium), have the capacity to pre-finance the projects, potentially facilitating a smoother and more efficient construction process.
