Minister Ogwang inspects site for Hoima Stadium to host AFCON 2027

The state minister for sports Peter Ogwang has together with FUFA president Moses Magogo implored the political leadership of Hoima to provide a conducive environment for the construction of Hoima stadium meant to host Afcon 2027.

The calls was  made while touring the site where Summa, a Turkish company is set to construct the stadium .

" I want to tell you, Hoima won the AFCON stadium because of the International airport which is one of the prerequisites by AFCON , but I implore you the leaders and other stakeholders to provide a good environment for our contractor. Remember we are time bad and this stadium has to be completed by 31st December 2025 which is just 18  months from now, but we are convinced that this contractor will deliver. He has done so in Kigali and any of you has visited Amahoro then you can testify they built it in 17 months" Ogwang said.

"There is going to be a lot of developments as people will get jobs, hotels and tourism will increase, then what we want from you  is just support the contractor. Let the roads be good, water and power available," FUFA president Moses Magogo said.

Minister Ogwang  used the same platform to assure other regions in the country that government is very committed to construct all stadiums whose feasibility studies were done, saying Hoima was only exceptional because of the national airport which is one of the prerequisites for Afcon.

" We have had a lot of people complain, but I want to assure you that government is very committed to construct all those stadiums we have earmarked, Akibua, among others, you don't have to worry because most of those their feasibility studies were done and we will work on them," Ogwang assured.

FUFA  president Moses Magogo said currently the concerned parties are working on land document transfer from FUFA to National council of sports saying they have confidence in the contractor, Summa who has built 183 across the world including one in Daka Senegal as well as Amahoro in Kigali Rwanda in less than 17 months.

" This  land measuring 10 acres was donated by the Rujumba family  to FUFA and  we bought another 10 acres  from the same family  to make it 20 acres. Now we are transferring it  into National council of sports  because a stadium cant be constructed on private land. We did this because we wish good for Bunyoro but also once such a facility is put up it will bring development for sports which is a plus for us as FUFA" Magogo said.

The National council of sports chairman Ambrose Tashobya asked local people to get positioned saying by policy the contractor will only bring 20% work force  but 80% will be local content .

"As Government we are considerate of local people, actually in our contract, we have asked the contractor to bring only 20% foreigners but 80% we want the local people to get jobs."

Bugahya member of parliament Pius Wakabi who is also part of the family members of Rujumba that donated land to FUFA said it is very exciting, noting  that they are very ready to support the project.

He however asked the contractor to consider the local people for jobs.

"This is the day we have been waiting for, it's a dream come true, but we just ask the contractor to consider our people for jobs here,"Wakabi said.

Besides the main stadium, the facility will also house two training pitches, but also Masindi stadium and Booma grounds Hoima will be renovated to suit standards as training facilities.