Prime
MPs summon sports minister over ‘rotten’ stadia
What you need to know:
- The officials had appeared before the committee to respond to the 2013/2014 audit queries in the Auditor General report but they failed to give convincing answers.
PARLIAMENT: Sports Minister Charles Bakabulindi has been summoned by Parliament’s Committee on Commissions, Statutory Authorities and State Enterprises (COSASE) to explain the poor state of upcountry stadia.
This was reached after the committee met officials from the National Council of Sports on Monday.
The Committee Vice Chairperson Ms Anita Among directed Mr Bakabulindi, the Minister of State for Sports to appear along with the council’s management after MPs accused them of abdicating their duties of managing the sports facilities.
The officials had appeared before the committee to respond to the 2013/2014 audit queries in the Auditor General report but they failed to give convincing answers.
The MPs led by Peter Ogwang (Usuk County) and Nathan Itungo (Kashaari County) cited John Akii-Bua stadium in Lira, Soroti Sports Ground in Soroti and Kakyeeka stadium in Mbarara as among those that have been left in a sorry state.
Mr Zubair Galiwango, the acting chairperson of the National Council of Sports argued that they were constrained to act due to the decentralisation policy which he said shifted the management of the stadia to local governments
Mr Galiwango also blamed the dilapidated stadia on inadequate capital development fund.
“This was a presidential directive and I know the government committed to construct Akii-Bua stadium, however, I don’t know the total amount,” he said.
His submissions were, however, rejected by Mr Ogwang who said that the mismanagement points at a possible collusion to have the land which houses these facilities grabbed.
Mr Ogwang argued that the government has on several occasions provided funds for the stadium but the money was misused by the National Council of Sports officials.
“Which local government can refuse you to help them develop and better such a facility unless if you are saying that you want to go grab the land and put it to your private use,” said Mr Ogwang.
The MP then proposed to have the minister appear before the committee since it is him who should have made a proposal to cabinet to transfer management of all stadia to the Council of Sports.
The committee wants explanations on outstanding queries on the development of sports and the stadia across the country.
