Overview:
There was also a visit to Makerere with inspections done the site of the soon to be refurbished main grounds, the rugby grounds, the netball arena, plus the halls of residence - their kitchens and dining halls. It could be the site for a Games Village.
Uganda is in contention alongside Nigeria to host the 15th edition of the African Games in 2031.
The bid was confirmed on Tuesday as a team from the African Union Sports Council does the inspection of facilities.
The Pearl of Africa is riding on the facilities built for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) to set a base for this bid expected to cost $94m (about Shs347.8billion)
Renovated Mandela National Stadium in Namboole which is expected to go under further construction alongside the newly constructed Hoima Stadium, and the Akii-Bua Stadium in Lira – home to Uganda’s first ever Olympic medalist in John Akii-Bua are the facilities presented by the National Council of Sports.
NCS General Secretary Dr. Bernard Patrick Ogwel is confident Uganda will win the bid.
“If you add that the Games have already been to Nigeria twice, we have a strong claim to bring them to Uganda for the first time,” NCS general secretary Bernard Patrick Ogwel, said on Tuesday at Mandela National Stadium, Namboole – one of the sites in Kampala that a technical team from the African Union visited as they started an evaluation of Uganda’s bid.
“We are using a three-tier model with Kampala as the host city, then Hoima and Lira as support cities for the Games.
“It gives us pleasure that the team evaluating our bid are happy with the standard of maintenance. They are impressed that a stadium built in 1998 is of such standard,” Ogwel added as the team checked out the main pitch, athletes’ facilities, dressing rooms, anti-doping centre, among other amenities.
Namboole Managing Director Jamil Ssewanyana also believes that with the facilities the country has at the moment and what they are projecting by 20231, Uganda will win the bid to bring Africa here.
“We will win the bid because our stadium is ready as it is but it will also have major renovations (ahead of Afcon 2027),” said Ssewanyana. “We need more big events to drive the sports infrastructure agenda in this country and also reduce on the downtime of what we already have.”
On a positive note, the African Union (AU) team was led by Decius Chipande – the head of the African Union Sports Council, Sid Ahmed Selmi – the chairperson technical committee for the Africa Games, Caesar Penalva – member of the technical committee for the Games responsible for games services, and Lina Paul Kessy – the African Union Sports Council senior sports officer responsible for African Games all sounded impressed.
“I have to commend this place. Stadiums are not easy to maintain. We go to so many places and see money buried,” Penalva said while Chipande added that they are “happy with the government of Uganda’s commitment towards hosting the African Games.”
“This shows that we are moving to the Africa we want and the coming renovations also set the foundation not just for sports development but sports’ contribution towards social and economic development.”
The team also toured Kyambogo University to check on the current Afcon training pitch there which could be used as a football and rugby ground for the Games. They also checked out MTN Omondi Stadium in Lugogo, Mulago Hospital, and also got details about the redevelopment of the Lugogo Sports Complex with assurances it will be ready for 2031.
There was also a visit to Makerere with inspections done the site of the soon to be refurbished main grounds, the rugby grounds, the netball arena, plus the halls of residence – their kitchens and dining halls. It could be the site for a Games Village.
“After Peninah (Kabenge) flew to Ethiopia to physically submit our bid, the (AU) technical team immediately came down to check on some of our infrastructure; the hotels, facilities, transport, and security.
“We see that they are excited about our sports programmes. And we hope the Games will leave a lasting legacy that will empower the youth and boost infrastructure development in this country,” NCS assistant general secretary (technical) Milton Chebet – also chairman of this African Games bid committee – said. His committee also includes Kabenge, NCS information officer Dovic Nassuna, and Collins Ssemanda.