The State Minister for Finance, Amos Lugoloobi, has promised the release of a balance of 17.763 billion Ugandan Shillings for the ongoing renovation works at Mandela National Stadium, popularly known as Namboole Stadium. This commitment follows a directive from the Speaker of Parliament, highlighting the urgency of releasing the outstanding funds.
During the parliamentary plenary session on April 12th, 2024, Speaker Among called for a 10-minute suspension, allowing Minister Lugoloobi to address the delayed release of funds. In his response, the Finance Minister assured the parliamentarians that the remaining funds would be promptly disbursed. He designated the responsibility of overseeing the project’s completion to State Minister of Sports Peter Ogwang.
“We are going to trigger the process today to ensure that the money is available,” Lugoloobi stated.
“I am happy to confirm that the process is already underway, and this morning, the Accountant General pulled the trigger by releasing 17.76 billion Shillings for the completion of works at Namboole. This payment will be received on Monday” the Minister revealed.
Minister Ogwang, while presenting a status report on the preparedness of Namboole Stadium for the upcoming CHAN and AFCON tournaments, shared details about the remaining construction activities. Notably, he highlighted the ongoing upgrade of hotels, transforming them into three-star establishments catering to match officials.
“We are now upgrading the 72-room hotel to a three-star standard, and the contractor is currently procuring furniture for the match officials, media facilities, as well as medical and anti-doping facilities,” explained Minister Ogwang.
According to Minister Ogwang, the contractor has completed approximately 90% of the project within a span of 20 months. Most of the civil works, mechanical and plumbing installations, and key components like CCTV, electronic access controls, pitches, dressing rooms, and running tracks are already in place.
The urgency to release the remaining funds came after concerns raised by the Opposition Chief Whip John Nambeshe. Nambeshe expressed worry about the progress of works at the stadium after the latest inspection report by the Confederation of African Football (CAF) indicated that the ongoing works fell short of the required standards.
With the committed release of the outstanding funds, the completion of Namboole Stadium’s renovations is expected to be expedited. The Ugandan government remains steadfast in ensuring that the stadium meets the necessary standards in time for the upcoming CHAN and AFCON tournaments, showcasing Uganda’s capability to host international sporting events.
