The National Council of Sports (NCS) and Makerere University on Wednesday handed over the Makerere University Sports Grounds to the Uganda Peoples Defence Forces Engineering Brigade for construction of a training facility to support Mandela National Stadium, Namboole, ahead of the 2027 Pamoja Africa Cup of Nations.
NCS chairman Ambrose Tashobya and Makerere University vice chancellor Barnabas Nawangwe officially transferred the site to Lt Col Eng Peter Sseku Kidemuka, the project manager leading the UPDF Engineering Brigade team tasked with delivering a CAF certified training ground within eight months.
The army engineers previously upgraded Kyambogo University grounds for last year’s CHAN tournament.
The Ministry of Works and Transport will supervise the project, with Commissioner for Public Structures Arch Dr Edward Ssimbwa and project manager Arch Andrew Nsamba present at the handover. NCS, as the client institution, was also represented by general secretary Dr Bernard Patrick Ogwel and members of the council’s senior management.
The planned upgrade will include football and rugby training pitches, a running track, a 1,700 seat pavilion, modern dressing rooms, floodlights, plus improved water and electricity infrastructure. Government has allocated about Shs 21.8 billion for the works.
Makerere joins Kyambogo University grounds, FUFA Kadiba Stadium and the outer training pitch at Namboole as part of the Kampala cluster of facilities supporting AFCON 2027. Similar clusters are planned around Hoima City Stadium and Akii Bua Olympic Stadium as Uganda prepares to co host the continental tournament under the Pamoja AFCON 2027 arrangement.
