By Our Reporter
NATIONAL
The Ministry of Education and Sports has been directed to re-write a letter to CAF, urging them to return for a reassessment of Namboole Stadium within two weeks.
The directive was given by the Speaker of Parliament, Rt. Hon. Anita Among today, 15th April, 2024 while on a tour of the national stadium undergoing renovation works.
The Speaker’s directive follows the release of the Shs17.7 billion balance by the Finance Ministry to facilitate completion of the renovation works by the UPDF engineering brigade. The stadium is expected to co-host AFCON 2027 alongside Kenya and Tanzania.
Recently CAF rejected the Stadium saying the works were sub standard raising concerns in the general public with the Opposition Chief Whip John Baptist Nambeshe informing Parliament last week that the CAF inspection recent report indicated that Namboole’s current renovation works are below the required standard and subsequently were not approved for the upcoming 2026 FIFA World Cup Qualifiers late in June.
According to the report from the CAF Inspectors that Nambeshe read, the stadium had unfinished areas of the exterior and interior.
“Based on the pre-inspection it is noted that the works in several areas of the exterior and interior zones of the stadium are still in progress and not yet complete, and according to Caf stadium approval procedures”, reads part of the report.
“An approval is only given when the stadium is compliant with the requirement at the time of the inspection which is not the case at the time, which is not the case for Mandela National Stadium, caf is not therefore in a position to grant an additional period for the completion of the works.” Reads another report.
Uganda may now have to host its next two FIFA 2026 World Cup qualifiers against Botswana and Algeria away from home, contrary to Ogwang’s earlier assurance that games would be played at a refurbished Namboole.
However, the State Minister for Sports, Hon. Peter Ogwang informed the House that the works were incomplete because the Ministry of Finance had not released all the budgeted for the renovation works.
The Ministry of Finance has however now released the money prompting the Speaker to carry out an inspection of the ongoing works this morning.
Last week, UPDF issued a statement saying they were not responsible for the incomplete works arguing that their hands were tied by unavailability of funds to continue with the renovation works.
