Government has signed a contract with an Egyptian firm, SAMCO National Construction Company, to build a 20,000-seat Akii Bua Olympic Stadium in Lira City.
According to officials the stadium project will cost $129 million and is scheduled for completion within 20 months.
Muhammad Bbaale, the Accounting Officer of NCS, signed on behalf of the government of Uganda and the National Council of Sports, while Engineer Ibrahim Abdelaziz Mahmoud Mabrouk signed for SAMCO National Construction Company.
Officiating at the ceremony,Janet Museveni handed over an 18.455- hectare land title for the stadium’s construction to Ambrose Tashobya, Chairperson of the National Council of Sports.
State Minister for Sports,Peter Ogwang, described the planned Akii Bua Stadium as a state-of-the-art facility in Lira City.
The complex will feature a 20,000-seat main stadium with an athletic track, training facilities with at least two changing rooms, a 2,000-seat multi-sport indoor stadium, a 25-meter semi-Olympic swimming pool, outdoor courts for basketball, netball, volleyball, and badminton, and a 1,000-vehicle parking facility.
The site will include comprehensive infrastructure: roads, utilities, ICT systems, a sewerage treatment plant, landscaping, perimeter fencing, and security systems. Additional facilities include a fully furnished clubhouse for stadium operations, a 60-room hostel, five sports pitches, and a borehole to reduce water maintenance costs.
Ogwang acknowledged that while President Museveni’s 2010 pledge to build the stadium for the people of Lango took time to materialize, it represents one of the NRM Government’s most significant achievements.
“To the people of Lango, I know you have been very impatient about this, but today the stadium is a reality, and we want full votes for NRM,” Ogwang said.
He expressed gratitude to Lira City and the district’s local leadership for their support and urged the contractors to begin work promptly while adhering to the project timeline.
The ceremony was attended by Dr. Jane Ruth Aceng, Minister of Health and Woman MP Lira City; Betty Amongi, Minister of Gender, Labour and Social Development and MP Oyam South; Deputy Attorney General Kafuuzi Jackson; Education Ministry Permanent Secretary Dr. Kedrace Turyagyenda; and John Bosco Suuza, Director Legal Advisory Services from the Attorney General’s Office.
Akii Bua Stadium is a multi-purpose stadium under construction in Lira, Uganda. It’s one of the venues that will be used for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) which Uganda is co-hosting. The stadium is named after Uganda’s first Olympic gold medalist, John Akii Bua. Construction is ongoing, with a target completion date set for before the 2027 AFCON tournament.