Prime
Building of Akii-Bua Olympic Stadium on course
John Akii-Bua
Not all hope is lost after the old Akii-Bua Stadium lost its abode to Lira Hospital. There could even be better news if the new Akii-Bua Olympic Stadium venture is implemented.
The government of Uganda is on course with that of China to construct a new facility under the name Akii-Bua Olympic Stadium at alternative 45-acre land in Erute, 3kms from Lira town.
After correspondences and consultative meetings between the ministries of education and sports, foreign affairs, general duties, lands, housing and urban development, matters to do with the construction of the stadium are now in the Prime Minister’s office for the expedition of the project kick-off.
This followed President Museveni’s directive to then Prime Minister, Apollo Nsibambi in 2010, to embark on talks with the Chinese government regarding the venture.
This was after a delegation from Lango requested Mr Museveni and his government to build a new stadium in memory of the Munich Olympics gold medallist John Akii-Bua while meeting the President in September 2009.
“The purpose of this letter sir is to brief you on the progress made in this regard so far and request for your indulgence to have the project expedited, especially with regard to discussions with the Chinese government,” read in part State Sports Minister Charles Bakkabulindi’s letter to the Prime Minister’s office dated May 30, 2012.
Among the progress made include all the relevant ministries holding behind the scenes talks with the Chinese government, the most practical ones seeing Chinese corporation - Anhui Foreign Economic Construction Company Ltd (Afecc) inspecting and approving the site in Lira and signing an MOU in January this year.
Afecc is known internationally for stadium construction, with the 42,000 capacity Mozambique National Stadium – the facility that hosted the 2011 All Africa Games – one of their most recent projects.
The proposed Akii-Bua Stadium in Lira is a 25,00 capacity seater bawl complete with an electronic score board, an athletics track and venues for indoor sports.
The company was invited by Education and Sports Minister Jessica Alupo while at the Games in Mozambique in September last year.
It also reached an agreement with the government in January this year, in addition to Akii-Bua Stadium, to construct the proposed National High Altitude Training Centre in Kapchorwa.
But that is just about it for now and the sports ministry is growingly becoming impatient with steady but rather slow progress, the reason Mr Bakkabulindi is seeking Prime Minister Amama Mbabazi’s expedition of the project.
“While your office has requested the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to initiate (official) discussions with China, I request that you as coordinator of the Presidential directive, cause the Hon. Minister of Foreign Affairs to expedite this (process).
“...That Hon. Prime Minister involves, at this stage, the Hon. Minister of Finance, Planning and Economic Development as the project has financial/bilateral aid implications.”
None could commit to the exact time when the project could start but according to Sports Commissioner Omara Apitta, once the Prime Ministers follows it through, the kick off of the actual groundwork will immediately start.
