The Shadow Minister for Sports, Geoffrey Kayemba Solo, has reiterated that Namboole Stadium will not be prepared to host the upcoming World Cup qualifiers against Botswana and Algeria on June 3rd and 10th, respectively. Solo criticized the country’s inefficiency, expressing dismay over the resulting financial losses.
“Namboole stadium will not be ready to host the next @UgandaCranes in June. It’s so sad that this country is continuing to lose a lot of finances due to incompetency. We need no apologies this time,” Geoffrey Kayemba Solo stated on his X account formerly twitter.
State Minister of Sports, Hon. Peter Ogwang, previously stated that renovation works at Namboole Stadium were 84% complete during a visit by the First Lady and Minister of Education and Sports, Janet Museveni, in February. However, concerns remain as the completion date approaches on June 1, 2024, with an appeal made for additional funds to finalize the refurbishment.
The Speaker of Uganda’s Parliament, Anitah Among, has directed the State Minister for Sports to provide a detailed statement regarding the status of Namboole Stadium and the accountability of the allocated funds amounting to Shs97 billion. Speaker Among expressed worries over Namboole’s readiness, especially considering Algeria’s refusal to play in Morocco despite the latter’s offer to host the matches for free due to concerns about the stadium’s condition. She emphasized the need for clarity and a plan for the upcoming qualifiers.
