State Minister for Sports Peter Ogwang has urged contractors to accelerate work on key projects in Hoima, placing Uganda’s costly preparations for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations under renewed scrutiny ahead of another CAF inspection.
Ogwang spent the weekend inspecting Hoima Booma Grounds, Hoima Regional Referral Hospital and other facilities being constructed or renovated to support Hoima City Stadium during the continental tournament.
The minister was accompanied by officials from the National Council of Sports, Ministry of Works and Transport and the UPDF Engineering Brigade, which is undertaking several AFCON-related projects.
“I am, so far, impressed by the work done by the UPDF Engineering Brigade,” Ogwang said, although he challenged the unit to increase its pace and meet the timelines established for the different facilities.
The playing surface at Booma Grounds is expected to be completed in September, allowing the grass enough time to mature, while the wider project should be delivered by December 31.
The deadlines underline the pressure facing Uganda as CAF prepares to return and establish whether concerns raised during its previous assessment have been addressed.
CAF’s requirements extend beyond the availability of a match stadium. A host city must provide suitable training grounds, medical services, accommodation, transport, security and other infrastructure needed by teams, officials, supporters and broadcasters.
This has forced the government to commit substantial resources to preparing Hoima and neighbouring Masindi.
The Office of the Prime Minister says Shs545.99 billion has been allocated to AFCON-related projects in the two districts, excluding approximately Shs487 billion spent on constructing Hoima City Stadium. Together, the commitments take the government’s investment in the region’s preparations beyond Shs1 trillion.
Of the additional allocation, Shs91 billion is being spent on improvements at Hoima Regional Referral Hospital, Masindi General Hospital and Buseruka Health Centre III.
Hoima Regional Referral Hospital is expected to receive a new 150-bed facility, accident and emergency services, a CT scanner, MRI services and improvements to its laboratory, pharmacy and consultation facilities.
The investment is intended to satisfy CAF’s medical requirements while leaving the region with improved healthcare services after the tournament.
Another Shs52.1 billion has been committed to upgrading Hoima Booma Playground, King George Memorial Stadium and Sir Tito Winyi Secondary School grounds.
Booma is being developed into a CAF-standard training facility with a hybrid playing surface, irrigation system, floodlights, dressing rooms, a pavilion and supporting power infrastructure. The project was initially valued at about Shs13.2 billion.
The government has also earmarked Shs106.4 billion for roads around Hoima City Stadium and improvements to water and electricity infrastructure.
A further Shs183.7 billion is intended for a passenger terminal and supporting facilities at Kabalega International Airport, while Shs101.1 billion will be made available to hoteliers to improve accommodation standards and capacity.
The scale of the investment means the government will be expected to demonstrate more than physical progress during the coming inspection.
Questions will also be asked about whether the projects represent value for money, can be completed within the prescribed timelines and have credible plans for long-term use and maintenance.
Hoima City Stadium alone reportedly requires approximately $15,200 per month for maintenance. As more training and supporting facilities are completed, the recurring cost of preserving them will add to the financial responsibility carried by the government and beneficiary institutions.
Ogwang has previously challenged institutions receiving upgraded sports facilities to begin budgeting for their upkeep instead of waiting until after the tournament.
“After our work, you must maintain these facilities,” he said. “Start thinking of those budgets now.”
That demand is particularly important because Uganda’s AFCON spending has consistently been presented as a legacy investment rather than an expense limited to the four-week tournament.
Hoima has already begun testing its ability to stage major events; Kitara are preparing to host Somalia’s Mogadishu City in two CAF Confederation Cup preliminary round matches at Hoima City Stadium in September.
Those events can test the stadium’s operations and generate economic activity, but the forthcoming CAF inspection will judge a much wider system.
For Ogwang and the contractors, the immediate challenge is to prove that the heavy public investment is producing an AFCON-ready host city and not merely an impressive stadium surrounded by unfinished projects.
