The National High Altitude Training Centre in Teryet, Kapchorwa, has officially been handed over to the National Council of Sports (NCS) by the Ministry of Education and Sports.
The transfer, described by Commissioner for Physical Education and Sports, Rev. Can. Duncan Mugumya, as a “delegation of duty and responsibility from father to son,” took place on Tuesday February 11th in a ceremony attended by key government and sports officials.
The handover follows directives from First Lady and Minister of Education and Sports, Hon. Janet Museveni, in line with the National Sports Act of 2023, which mandates NCS with overseeing all sports infrastructure in the country.
The event was attended by representatives from the Ministry of Education and Sports, NCS leadership, the Kapchorwa District local government, and technical experts involved in the facility’s construction.
Commissioner Mugumya, representing State Minister for Sports Hon. Peter Ogwang and Permanent Secretary Dr. Kedrace Turyagenda, presided over the ceremony alongside Special Presidential Assistant on Education and Sports, Gunter Lange, who serves as the Technical Advisor on the project.
Other officials present included Project Coordinator Assistant Commissioner Sammy Odongo and Engineer Raymond Opio from the Ministry’s Construction Management Unit.
On the receiving end, NCS Board Chairperson Ambrose Tashobya led a delegation comprising Board Members Moses Anyii Omara, Piloya Evelyn Gloria, and Olympic gold medalist Stephen Kiprotich, whose 2012 marathon triumph in London inspired the establishment of the facility.
NCS General Secretary, Dr. Bernard Patrick Ogwel, also attended alongside a technical team from the NCS Secretariat.
Deputy Chief Administrative Officer Stephen Lokope represented the Kapchorwa District leadership, reinforcing the significance of the facility to the local community.
In his remarks, Tashobya reassured the Sebei community that they would remain the primary beneficiaries of the centre due to its proximity, even as it serves the broader national interest of developing elite athletes.
He emphasized that the Ministry and NCS share a unified goal of transforming Uganda into a powerhouse in long-distance running.
The Teryet Training Centre, situated at 2,555 meters above sea level, is designed to identify, nurture, and prepare Ugandan athletes for international competition while also attracting foreign athletes, boosting sports tourism, and strengthening the country’s economy.
The first phase of the facility, which has already been completed and commissioned by President Yoweri Museveni, includes a specialized 3km jogging track, an artificial turf field certified by FIFA and the International Rugby Union (IRU), floodlights, a six-lane running track, a hostel block, kitchen and dining facilities, and site infrastructure such as roads and parking.
The second phase, set to begin soon, will further enhance the facility with a physiotherapy and strength training centre, a pavilion with storage and sanitary facilities, a service block with restaurants and meeting rooms, additional hostel blocks, staff housing, a sports hall, a swimming pool, throwing event areas, a natural grass field, a soccer practice field, a golf skilling area, and a golf hotel.
With the handover now complete, NCS assumes full control of the facility, paving the way for its operationalization as Uganda’s premier high-altitude training hub for endurance athletes.
