State Minister for Sport, Hon. Peter Ogwang, has urged the government to maintain its commitment to funding sports infrastructure beyond the completion of ongoing projects.
He made the appeal on Tuesday, April 1st, while appearing before the Parliamentary Committee on Education and Sports, where he, alongside officials from the National Council of Sports (NCS), presented their budget for the 2025/26 financial year.
Ogwang emphasized that while Uganda’s major projects—Akii Bua Stadium in Lira and Hoima Stadium, which is part of the 2027 AFCON preparations—are currently the focus of sports infrastructure development, investment should not stop there.
He argued that other regions across the country also deserve similar facilities to ensure balanced sports development.
“We must not stop at just Hoima and Akii Bua stadiums. If we are serious about transforming sports in this country, we need to keep allocating funds for similar projects in other regions,” Ogwang told Parliament.
“Once Akii Bua and Hoima stadiums are completed, we must maintain the budget and channel those funds into building other stadiums in different regions. This is a chance we cannot afford to miss,” he added.
His remarks come at a time when the government committed a record-breaking budget for sports in the 2024/25 financial year, with a significant portion directed towards infrastructure development.
The 2024/25 sports budget prioritized the construction of Hoima and Akii-Bua Stadiums, which are crucial for Uganda’s joint PAMOJA bid with Kenya and Tanzania to host AFCON 2027.
Hoima stadium is expected to cost UGX 280 billion and is projected for completion by December 31, 2025.
Beyond Hoima, the budget also allocated UGX 790 billion for the redevelopment of Lugogo Sports Complex, which will include a new MTN Indoor Arena, Lugogo Cricket Oval, a hockey ground, a boxing gym, and various courts.
Additionally, UGX 110 billion was set aside for the construction of 11 support training grounds across the country for AFCON 2027, while UGX 100 billion was allocated for the construction of Buhinga Stadium in Kabarole and Akii Bua Stadium in Lira.
Ogwang’s call aligns with the position of NCS General Secretary Dr. Patrick Ogwel, who previously highlighted that 85% of the sports budget for 2024/25 would go towards infrastructure.
The minister now wants this momentum sustained in future budgets to ensure that sports infrastructure development is not limited to a few locations.
