By Frank Kamuntu
Uganda’s Parliament Speaker Anitah Among has warned that the country could lose its hosting rights for the 2027 CAF Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) if stadium construction is not done quickly.
Last year, Uganda, Kenya and Tanzania were awarded 2027 AFCON hosting rights by the Confederation of African Football (CAF), the body that runs and manages football in Africa.
“We won the bid with Kenya and Tanzania and our partners are constructing. The only country that is still behind is Uganda. And it is likely that if we don’t move faster, the bid will be taken away from Uganda,” said Among.
She made the remarks before the parliament approved a supplementary budget ahead of the construction of one of the Afcon-planned stadiums in the district of Hoima, western Uganda.
Turkish firm Summa International was selected by the Ugandan government to undertake the construction.
Among made it clear that hosting Afcon would be very beneficial to all Ugandans.
“I want to thank President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni for loving sports and making sure that we have the money to finish that place Mandela National Stadium-Namboole,” she added.
Elsewhere, Uganda’s State Minister of Sports, Peter Ogwang, has asked the country’s teams to prove a point by winning at the ongoing 2024 ISF Football World Cup in Dalian, China.
Four Ugandan teams travelled last week to China for the international school football tournament to be held from May 17 to 27 in China’s northeastern coastal city of Dalian, Liaoning province.
“Go to China and be very disciplined and also prove a point by winning the boys and girls trophies,” said Ogwang before the teams travelled. The minister also made it clear that he would also travel to China to watch the games.
Uganda will be represented by Bukedea Comprehensive School and St. Mary’s College, Kisubi in the boys category, and Amus College School will field a team in each category.
Mark Kazaire, who will captain the St. Mary’s College Kisubi team, said that he was excited to be travelling to China to play in such a competition.
“I have heard a lot of good stories about China and I can’t wait to travel there and also guide my team to perform well,” added Kazaire.
Patrick Alfred Okanya, one of the officials of the Uganda Secondary Schools Sports Association (USSSA) said that the four teams have prepared well.
“We know the competition in China will be very tough. But our teams have prepared well and should be able to return with trophies,” added Okanya.
The four Ugandan teams will face other schools from China, the Czech Republic, Canada, Nigeria, Benin, Chinese Taipei, Kenya, Brazil, Germany, Mexico, Turkmenistan, Saudi Arabia, England, Hungary and New Zealand.
Last year’s ISF World Cup at the Moulay Abdellah Stadium in Rabat, Morocco saw China and France emerge victorious in girls’ and boys’ categories respectively.
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