The government has announced plans to redevelop Kyabazinga Stadium in Bugembe, Jinja City, into a modern sports facility with a seating capacity of 20,000 as part of ongoing efforts to improve sports infrastructure across Uganda.
Officials from the National Council of Sports (NCS) say the redevelopment forms part of a broader national programme to upgrade stadiums and sports complexes in different regions of the country.
Milton Chebet, the Assistant General Secretary in charge of Technical Affairs at the National Council of Sports, said the stadium has been earmarked for redevelopment alongside other facilities, with Bugembe and Mbale Stadium prioritized for Eastern Uganda.
“As you are aware, government is currently redeveloping several sports facilities across the country. In Eastern Uganda, we have earmarked Bugembe Stadium and Mbale Stadium, and the works will kick off in the next phase,” Chebet told reporters during a visit to Bugembe Stadium on Saturday.
According to Chebet, the planned redevelopment will transform the facility into a fully-fledged sports complex designed to support multiple sporting disciplines.
He said the proposed infrastructure will include a 20,000-seater main stadium, training grounds, a running track for athletics, and an indoor sports arena capable of hosting games such as boxing, basketball and other indoor sports.
The upgrade, officials say, is intended to expand opportunities for athletes in the Busoga sub-region and reduce the pressure on a few major sports venues currently used for national competitions.
However, Chebet raised concerns about the current state of the land surrounding the stadium, noting that parts of it may have been encroached upon by individuals who have constructed permanent structures.
“We received reports that part of this land was encroached on. I’m not sure whether it can accommodate all the amenities as planned because we intend to have a 20,000-seater stadium, training grounds, a running track for athletes, and an indoor arena for sports like boxing and basketball,” he said.
Sections of the land around the stadium are currently occupied by several individuals, some of whom have reportedly built permanent houses.
It remains unclear whether government will compensate the occupants in order to reclaim the land required for the full project.
Kyabazinga Stadium, which is owned by the Busoga Kingdom, is one of the few large sports facilities in Eastern Uganda and has historically hosted regional football matches and community sporting events.
Over the years, however, significant portions of its surrounding land have reportedly been taken over by encroachers, limiting the space available for expansion.
The proposed redevelopment comes at a time when the Ugandan government has increased investment in sports infrastructure in preparation for major continental and international competitions.
In recent years, authorities have embarked on the construction and rehabilitation of several facilities, including Hoima City Stadium and the redevelopment of Akii Bua Stadium in Lira.
Uganda is also preparing to co-host the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) alongside Kenya and Tanzania, a development that has accelerated plans to upgrade sports infrastructure across the country.
Local sports stakeholders in Busoga have long argued that the sub-region has lagged behind in terms of modern sporting facilities, forcing athletes to travel long distances for training and competitions.
If implemented as planned, the redevelopment of Kyabazinga Stadium is expected to provide improved training and competition facilities for athletes while positioning the Busoga sub-region as a hub for sports development and regional tournaments.
The Kyabazinga Stadium in Bugembe, Jinja City, was constructed in the early 1950s during the British colonial period and was originally known as Bugembe Stadium.
The facility was established as a regional sports ground to promote football, athletics and community events in Busoga.
Over time it became closely associated with the Busoga Kingdom and gradually came to be known as Kyabazinga Stadium, reflecting its symbolic link to the Kyabazinga, the cultural leader of Busoga.
For decades the stadium served as one of the most important sports venues in eastern Uganda, hosting regional football competitions, school tournaments and major public gatherings.
It gained wider recognition when it hosted matches during the 1996 Cecafa Senior Challenge Cup, one of East Africa’s biggest football tournaments.
In recent years the stadium has also hosted Busoga Masaza Cup finals, which attract thousands of spectators from across the region, as well as Uganda Premier League matches involving Bul Football Club, which until two seasons ago used the venue as its home ground.
Despite periods of neglect and deterioration, the stadium remains a significant sporting landmark in Busoga and continues to be used for football, boxing events, cultural activities and other community gatherings.
Bugembe Stadium is also one of the two main grounds in Jinja alongside Kakindu Stadium which is enscoused in Jinja City between the National Library and Narambhai Primary School.
