The National Council of Sports Chairman Ambrose Tashobya has provided an update on the Akii Bua Stadium project.
Speaking to NBS Sport, Tashobya revealed that the NCS is in the final stages of the procurement process, with construction slated to begin soon.
The stadium is a key component of Uganda’s preparations for co-hosting the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) alongside Kenya and Tanzania.
Tashobya disclosed that the procurement process for the stadium is near completion, and NCS officials recently traveled to Egypt for due diligence, inspecting established stadiums to ensure the best practices are followed.
“We came from Cairo last week to do due diligence from the already established stadiums in Egypt,” he said.
He expressed confidence in the capabilities of the stadium contractors, who are Khator Sports and SAMCO.
“I think we’re comfortable with the contractors that we’re getting. Next week, we shall have the conclusion of the procurement, and in the next quarter, that’s when we shall give the UGX 100 billion to the contractors,” he explained.
The construction of Akii Bua Stadium, according to Tashobya is projected to take 20 months from the signing of the contract, with completion expected by March 2026.
This timeline ensures that the stadium will be ready well ahead of the 2027 AFCON.
“The time frame for Akii Bua Stadium will be 20 months from the time they (contractors) start, meaning that the construction will end in March 2026,” Tashobya confirmed.
Tashobya emphasized that the Akii Bua Stadium is set to be a high-performance centre with comprehensive facilities to cater to various sports and training needs.
He outlined the ambitious scope of the project, which includes hostels for teams, fully equipped gyms for strength and conditioning, a cafeteria, a swimming pool, and training pitches for football, rugby, and athletics.
Additionally, the stadium will feature indoor facilities for basketball, netball, and martial arts.
“Our Akii Bua project is quite elaborate. It will be a high-performance center that will have hostels for teams, fully equipped gyms for strength and conditioning, cafeteria, swimming pool, training pitches for football, rugby, and athletics, and indoor stadiums for basketball, netball, and martial arts,” Tashobya said.