Sports infrastructure in the country remains a big concern as well as a rich everyday topic off the lips of many Ugandans across the divide.
Government of Uganda and private investors are on a mission possible to put in place as many sports stadia as possible in the different corners of the land-locked country.
The St Mary’s Stadium, located on the Kitende Hill along the busy Kampala – Entebbe Highway is one of the numerous private investments.
Home to the four time Uganda Premier League champions, Vipers, this stadium is one of the worthy while projects that football and sports in general treasure.
With the current lockdown called by President Yoweri Museveni Kaguta, there has not been an active sport in the country since the month of March 2020.
It is during this period that Vipers were declared champions of the 2019/20 Uganda Premier League and behind the scenes, the St Mary’s Stadium, Kitende had the VIP section expanded prior to kick off of the 2020/21 football season.
With the new expansion, a further 600 seats have been added to the VIP section, bringing the full capacity up to 1225.
According to the club website, the new look section shall be officially opened to the public at the crowning of Vipers as the 2019/20 League Champions.
We have installed more seats in the VIP area to accommodate more fans seated comfortably while enjoying football next season. Further to that, we are also refurbishing all areas that may have been damaged during the regular season as well as equipping the stadium with other equipment to ease operations as we look forward to football next season
Edward Mulindwa Junior, St Mary’s Stadium Manager
The club management has future plans of further developments in phases as will be revealed from time to time in a bid to keep up with the standards as required by international football bodies.
The St Mary’s Stadium, Kitende was officially opened in February 2017.
In 2018, had a major renovation with seats, an artificial turf replacing the natural grass, a media tribune, state of art dressing rooms, touchline dug-outs, gym and alternative exit routes.
Vipers Sports Club will represent Uganda at the CAF Champions League next season.
They have won the Uganda Premier League four times in 2010, 2015, 2018 and 2020.
Christened as the Venoms, Vipers has one Uganda Cup title (2016), FUFA Super Cup (2015) and the Pilsner Super 8 Cup (2019).
For starters, CAF and FIFA Certified stadium inspectors Daniel Amokachi and Emmanuel Dasoberi inspected the facility before a report passing the stadium fit to host international engagements was released.
I think its big achievement go on vipers