QFM
Inside Lango MPs’ Akii-Bua inspection tour: road, airfield, and hotel funds take center stage ahead of Afcon 2027
11 August 2026, 2:06 pm
By Frank Oyugi and Felix Omara
LIRA CITY — Members of the Lango Parliamentary Group (LPG) spent the weekend inspecting infrastructure across Lira City, raising urgent red flags over missing road funds, unfulfilled aviation promises, and crucial financing gaps facing the local hospitality sector ahead of the AFCON 2027 tournament.
The delegation, led by LPG Chairperson and Oyam South MP Patrick Okumu (Patrick Ogwang Obura) alongside MPs Patrick Ongom (Erute North), Collins Angwec (Kioga County), Fred Jalameso (Ajuri County), Leo Elem (Moroto County), and Peter Obong Acuda (Maruzi County), conducted a comprehensive site inspection of the $130 million Akii-Bua Olympic Stadium project. While acknowledging physical construction progress on the stadium itself, lawmakers warned that a stadium cannot operate in isolation without a functional surrounding ecosystem.
Unaccounted Road Funds and Key Transport Links
Central to the MPs’ concerns is the missing or delayed funding meant for the 18-kilometer road network encircling Akii-Bua Stadium. Critical access corridors—including the Labour Line – Slow Board to Boro Boro stretch and the Adekokwok route—were slated for complete asphalt paving (tarmacking) and solar streetlighting. Lawmakers reported that funds allocated for these vital connectors appear to be unaccounted for, threatening stadium accessibility and overall security.
Furthermore, the caucus expanded its regional transport demands, calling on the central government to urgently establish and operationalize the Anai Airfield to handle VVIP and team travel. The legislators also pressed for the immediate tarmacking of the Lira – Aboke to Bobi road, emphasizing that smooth regional transit corridors are essential for logistical success when Africa’s premier football tournament kicks off.
Local Hoteliers Push for UGX 101 Billion UDB Loan Access
The stadium tour followed a strategic consultative meeting at Gracious Palace Hotel, where LPG lawmakers met with Lira City’s hospitality sector leaders to evaluate local accommodation readiness.
Speaking on behalf of local hotel proprietors, Dr. Patrick Olet urged lawmakers to champion their cause in Parliament to ensure regional businesses benefit directly from government interventions. Specifically, hoteliers are demanding streamlined access to the UGX 101 billion Uganda Development Bank (UDB) capitation facility. Dr. Olet noted that tailored, low-interest capital is critical to help local operators upgrade existing facilities to international five-star standards, absorb local youth into gainful employment, and position Lira as a long-term sports and tourism hub well beyond 2027.