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Akii-Bua Stadium key to Afcon 2027
The First Lady and Minister of Education and Sports Janet Museveni (R) speaks to an official from SAMCO. PHOTO/COURTESY
What you need to know:
The struggles, particularly of Kenya ahead of Chan, have raised in-house concerns that maybe one of the countries might not be ready come 2027. Some genuinely fear that the elections in Kenya at the time could take precedence over Pamoja 2027.
Uganda will leave no stone unturned in the bid to host the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) with neighbours Tanzania and Kenya.
However, the African Nations Championship (Chan), which is set to be hosted by all three countries between February 1 and 28, has pushed government to be a bit guarded.
The struggles, particularly of Kenya ahead of Chan, have raised in-house concerns that maybe one of the countries might not be ready come 2027. Some genuinely fear that the elections in Kenya at the time could take precedence over Pamoja 2027.
That is probably why Uganda has taken steps to accelerate works at the Akii-Bua Stadium in Lira, a project that had gone quiet since the commencement of works in Hoima. Not so long ago, only Mandela National Stadium – Namboole and Hoima City Stadium had taken over all promotions as the venues for Afcon 2027.
“We decided to have a contingency stadium for Afcon and that is Akii-Bua in Lira so that even if one of the countries pulls out, the other two can still host the tournament come 2027,” Fufa president Moses Magogo told members of the Chan Local Organising Committee (Loc) during their orientation last week. Most of these Loc members will be retained for Afcon.
On Saturday, at State House Nakasero, government signed the contract for the construction of Akii-Bua Stadium with contractor Samco. Samco is an Egytian construction company.
First, the First Lady and Minister of Education and Sports handed over “18,455-hectare land title for the stadium to the National Council of Sports (NCS),” according to her social media accounts. The new Sports Act dictates that all sports facilities constructed on public land are vested in Council. The latter are also tasked to manage the facilities.
“This is not just about infrastructure—it’s about giving our athletes a home worthy of their dreams,” she added as she also paid homage to the 1972 Olympics 400m hurdles gold medalist John Akii-Bua after whom the stadium is named.
After that, NCS accounting officer Muhammad Bbaale and Samco engineer Abdelaziz Mahmoud Mubarak signed the contract that will see the latter construct, according to State Minister for Sports Peter Ogwang “a 20,000 seater multi-purpose stadium in 20 months, and this will cost us $129m (about Shs490b).”
“The project will also include an athletic track in the main stadium, tracks on the two training pitches, a 2,000 seater mini multi-sport indoor arena, a 25m swimming pool, plus outdoor courts for basketball, netball, and volleyball.”
Ogwang had earlier last week reemphasized these plans to Parliament when the national swimming team that won the Africa Aquatics Zone III Championships in Burundi visited the House.
Akii-Bua Stadium – Lira
Construction period: 20 months
Cost: $129 (about Shs490b)
Facilities: Main stadium + training pitches with athletics tracks, indoor arena, outdoor courts, swimming pool, parking
