The State Minister for Sports, Peter Ogwang, has been charged by Speaker of the Parliament Anita Annet Among to account for the 97 billion shillings that were spent on Mandela National Stadium- Namboole renovations.
After reading the most recent report from the CAF inspection, which stated that Namboole’s ongoing renovation work is below the required standard and was therefore not approved for the upcoming 2026 FIFA World Cup Qualifiers late in June, Opposition Chief Whip John Baptist Nambeshe issued the directive during the plenary.
The stadium’s exterior and interior were not completed, according to the report that Nambeshe had read from the CAF Inspectors. A portion of the report states, “According to Caf stadium approval procedures, 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, based on the pre-inspection.”
“An approval is only granted when the stadium satisfies the requirements at the time of the inspection, which Mandela National Stadium does not at the moment. As a result, CAF is unable to grant an extension for the completion of the works.” reads a different report.
Ogwang had earlier promised that the next two FIFA 2026 World Cup qualifiers between Uganda and Botswana and Algeria will take place at a renovated Namboole. However, it now appears that Uganda may have to host these matches outside.
Since Namboole is a must for hoisting CHAN, Jonathan Odur, the Member of Parliament for Erute County (South), stated that the government must make sure the stadium is completed by December of this year.
The Speaker also mentioned that she knew Morocco had previously offered Uganda the opportunity to host its World Cup qualifiers in the event that Uganda was unable to host its games domestically, but she was worried that this would discourage Ugandan fans who had planned to cheer on their team at home.
“Let him explain Namboole’s situation to us and answer to us for the 97 billion shillings that were released for that work.” said the speaker.
Government Chief Whip Hamson Obua responded by stating that the Minister was meeting with the UPDF Engineering brigade, which is in charge of upgrading Namboole, but he also promised to let the Minister know so that the report could be presented on Friday.
This is the most recent conflict concerning the Uganda Cranes and their enduring challenge of playing their home games away from home. First, because St. Mary’s Stadium Kitende, the Uganda Cranes’ home field since 2021, did not meet CAF regulations to host Uganda Cranes matches, the team was forced to play Tanzania at the Suez Canal Authority Stadium in Egypt.
Furthermore, the Uganda Cranes were once again forced to host their African Cup of Nations (Afcon) qualifying match against Algeria in Cameroon in June 2023, after Namboole renovations had taken an additional 1.5 years, after Fufa inspected the Mandela National Stadium and confirmed that it is not yet ready to host the qualifiers.
Minister Ogwang was forced to issue an apology to the nation due to this specific decision, as he had previously promised Ugandan football supporters on March 29, 2023, that the Cranes’ next home game will take place at Mandela National Stadium.
After St. Mary’s Stadium Kitende, the Uganda Cranes’ home field for two years following CAF’s blacklisting of Mandela National Stadium in 2020, failed to meet CAF regulations to host the Uganda Cranes’ matches, the team has been without a home since March of this year.
The Mandela Stadium’s pitch, restrooms, pavilion, and changing rooms were in such terrible condition that the Continental Soccer Governing Body deemed it unfit for hosting any continental or international match. They also recommended an overhaul, which the government started in February 2022 and awarded to the UPDF Engineering Brigade.
Although Lawrence Mulindwa’s privately owned St. Mary’s stadium in Kitende provided comfort to the Uganda Cranes, the CAF disqualified the venue in 2021 due to concerns about safety and security control, among other things.