President Yoweri Museveni has instructed Prime Minister Robinah Nabbanja to raise crucial matters regarding the development of Hoima City ahead of the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) finals.
He called for developments including the facilitation of new hotel construction, improvements in emergency health services, and road infrastructure, to be emphasized during the upcoming Cabinet meeting on Monday.
The President made this announcement on Wednesday, shortly after unveiling the foundation stone for the Hoima City Stadium, a key venue for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) finals, which Uganda will co-host with Kenya and Tanzania.
The event, presided over by President Museveni and the First Lady, who is also the Minister of Education and Sports, Maama Janet Museveni, highlighted the growing development in Hoima City.
During the function, State Minister of Sports, Hon. Peter Ogwang, and Hoima City Mayor, Brian Kaboyo, made suggestions that the government incentivize the private sector to build new hotels through loans from Uganda Development Bank (UDB) and other similar institutions. Mayor Kaboyo revealed that Hoima currently has around 1,700 hotel beds, but with the expected influx of visitors for the 2027 AFCON tournament, the city will need approximately 20,000 beds.
The President, however, expressed confidence that this gap would be addressed, referencing the success of the 2007 Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in Kampala, which saw the number of hotel beds in the city increase from around 4,000 to over 20,000 during and after the event.
In addition to the hotel development, President Museveni commended the impressive progress of Turkish construction firm SUMMA, which is building the Hoima City Stadium and its surrounding facilities. The company has managed to complete the first phase of the stadium’s construction in just five months, significantly ahead of the original 18-month timeline. The President praised SUMMA for their work and confirmed that the company would move on to the second phase of constructing the Namboole Stadium once they finish in Hoima.
The Hoima City Stadium project, which includes a 20,000-seat main stadium, a 2,000-seat indoor arena, a 25-meter swimming pool, outdoor sports courts, and additional training facilities, is set for completion by December, six months ahead of schedule. This project is poised to become a model multi-discipline facility in the region, designed to meet CAF requirements for the AFCON tournament.
H.E. Mehmet Fatih, the Turkish Ambassador to Uganda, also attended the event and spoke of the stadium as more than just a sports venue, calling it a “dream” for Uganda’s youth and an attractive prospect for both tourists and investors.
President Museveni further highlighted the benefits that the region has received from the discovery of oil, pointing to the extensive development of “Oil Roads” and the construction of an international airport, which contributed to Hoima being chosen as the venue for the modern stadium.
The event saw the attendance of several high-ranking officials, including the Vice President of Uganda, the Prime Minister, the Minister of Finance, Planning and Economic Development, and other government leaders. Local political, administrative, and religious leaders were also present, along with representatives from various sports federations and associations, National Council of Sports (NCS), and the Rujumba family, who donated the land for the project.
The Hoima City Stadium is expected to not only bolster Uganda’s sports infrastructure but also serve as a catalyst for regional development, attracting both domestic and international investments.