The President of the Federation to Uganda Football Association (FUFA), Moses Magogo (pictured) has decried the continued closure of Mandela National Stadium in Namboole, saying it has increased the cost of holding games for the national team.
“Lack of appropriate infrastructure that meet the international standard, for example Mandela National Stadium has been closed for 2years and we have been using private stadium which comes at a very high cost in terms of the fees that we pay for the usage. It doesn’t cost less than Shs80M to use that stadium (per match) and remember we have been playing football in Covid without the fans,” said Magogo, who doubles as the Budiope East MP.
He made the plea while appearing before Parliament’s Ad Hoc Committee that is investigating utilization of funds allocated to sports sector through the National Council of Sports.
The development comes at the time Minister of State for Sports Peter Ogwang clashed with Patrick Ogwel, Secretary General national Council of Sports over the cost of refurbishing Mandela National Stadium, after the Minister disputed the Shs438Bn, saying the cost is instead Shs291Bn.
In April 2021, Government was forced to hire St. Mary’s Stadium in Kitende, as temporary home of Uganda Cranes the national football team to host its international matches and trainings, after both the Confederation of African Federation (CAF) and Federation of International Football Association (FIFA) slapped a ban on Mandela National Stadium-Namboole after failing an earlier inspection test.
The two regional bodies, deemed Mandela National Stadium below the set standards to host any game, but rather only granted permission to St. Mary’s Stadium in Kitende.
Following the ban, Ministry of Education and Sports as well as Ministry of Works took the reactionary route and constituted a team to conduct needs assessment and recommended upgrade for the stadium and the two teams agreed on the Shs96Bn as an indicative planning figure but more funds will be required for complete works.
The Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) engineering brigade that is currently undertaking the Shs3.8Bn fencing works of the stadium will also be in charge of the refurbishment works.
