Building Akii-Bua Olympic Stadium: Work can now begin!

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 SPORTS INFRASTRUCTURE 

The construction of the Akii-Bua Olympic Stadium in Uganda's northern city of Lira can now begin in earnest following the facility's much-anticipated groundbreaking on Wednesday (January 29).

President Yoweri Museveni and First Lady Janet Museveni, who is also the Minister of Education and Sports, graced this important function.

The $129 million (sh475 billion) project is to be undertaken by Egyptian firm SAMCO National Construction Company and Khater Sports.

It is projected to take a record period of 20 months to complete.

At the ceremony, Museveni explained why the construction had delayed, saying the government had to prioritize the implementation of the competing programmes on a small resource envelope.

He also castigated political actors for spreading "lies" tying the 2026 general election to the project.

“No Akii-Bua Olympic Stadium, no votes for NRM. So please we are tired of lies. Elections based on lies are not good elections, they should be based on the truth. If you have elections based on lies then you are killing your country,” he said.

Museveni said the government did not deliberately abandon sports or the construction of stadiums but had to first deal with the basic necessities in the country such as peace, infrastructure, education and health.

“Therefore, the delay of the construction of Akii-Bua Stadium was not because we did not care, it was because we had to survive first.

“When some people try to say, 'Oh, this government is useless, they have forgotten sports', I am a sportsman myself, but I couldn’t start with sports when there was no peace or food in the country. It is not that we didn’t know about sports but one by one makes a bundle."

The President also cautioned Ugandans to treat as liars political actors who claim to be able to do everything at once.

About the ceremony, he said it was about celebrating Ugandan sports legend John Akii-Bua and also to fulfill the commitment of co-hosting the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations with neighbours Kenya and Tanzania.

▪️  East Africa Pamoja AFCON 2027 bid becomes a reality

Museveni said Uganda is to fasttrack the construction of the stadium as AFCON is an international event, adding that Uganda will not fail to do her part.

“This time we agreed with other East Africans, Kenya and Tanzania, to host the AFCON. Now that we have committed with other East Africans, we must do the three stadiums the AFCON people want. We have Namboole, Nakivubo and initially Akii-Bua Stadium."

African football governing body CAF also spelled out the condition of having an international airport near the stadium planned for use. That inspired the building of the Hoima City Stadium because of Kabalega International Airport. 

▪️  Uganda plans to open Kabalega airport in 2025

Museveni assured the nation that the government will construct other smaller stadiums regionally in a phased manner. 

'Coach and cheerleader'

On her part, education minister Janet Museveni described the construction of Akii-Bua Stadium as a new chapter in the sports sub-sector.

“Thank you, Mr President, for always finding time in your busy schedule to be part of our sports events and for your commitment to the development of sports in the nation,” she said.

“You have guided us; you have cheered our young people on. Some of them look up to you as their coach and cheerleader. We cannot thank you enough."

The First Lady also spoke of the ongoing construction of the Hoima City Stadium, and plans to undertake the second phase of works at Mandela National Stadium to ensure its compliance with the international standards in preparation for AFCON.

▪️  Hoima stadium construction on schedule, says contractor

“The beauty of the investment is that all these facilities will bridge the gap in sports infrastructure even at community level because they will serve beyond the AFCON tournament,” she said.

The minister further announced other government commitments such as the construction of Buhinga, Kakyeka stadiums and Lugogo Sports complex, pointing out that all the investments are capital intensive in nature and will be handled in a phased manner.

SAMCO project manager Mohamed Nazih and former Egyptian diplomat in Kampala Amb. Mohamed El- Hamzani attended the ceremony.

Health minister Dr Jane Ruth Aceng, who is also the Woman MP for  Lira city where the stadium will be built, was present at the groundbreaking.

She thanked the President and First Lady for gracing the event, as well as the people of her city and beyond for showing up in large numbers on short notice.

Aceng said the people of Lango love sports and have generated several local football clubs that are doing very well in the sub-region, having some of their players in the country’s big teams.
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📸  Group photos at the groundbreaking