Akii-Bua stadium access roads excluded from construction contract

22 September 2026, 8:36 pm

By Baker Okello

The General Secretary of the National Council of Sports, Dr. Bernard Patrick Egwel, has confirmed that the 18.3-kilometre network of external access roads leading to the Akii-Bua Olympic Stadium was not included in the ongoing stadium construction contract.

Dr. Egwel made the revelation as the Parliamentary Committee on Education and Sports conducted an on-site inspection of the ongoing construction works at the Akii-Bua Olympic Stadium and the Lira University AFCON training ground.

He explained that the rehabilitation of roads surrounding the stadium falls outside the mandate of both the Ministry of Sports and the National Council of Sports.

According to Dr. Egwel, the roads were removed from the original stadium project scope because their rehabilitation falls under the responsibility of Lira City Council and the Ministry of Works and Transport.

He, however, urged Lira City authorities to urgently open up, plan and survey the road reserves around the Akii-Bua Olympic Stadium to facilitate future development and improve accessibility to the facility.

Meanwhile, the Shadow Minister for Sports and Nansana Municipality Member of Parliament, Hon. Zambaali Bulasio Mukasa, called for greater accountability from the contractors over concerns regarding visible cracks and delays in achieving some of the project’s targeted milestones.

Hon. Zambaali expressed concern over what he described as premature deterioration and cracks appearing on some structural surfaces before the project’s official completion and handover.

Otuke East County MP and member of the Parliamentary Committee on Education and Sports, Hon. Julius Acon Bua, encouraged residents of the Lango sub-region to embrace the stadium as an important investment in sports, talent development and economic empowerment.

He said the facility could provide young people with an opportunity to turn their sporting abilities into sustainable sources of income if it is properly utilized and managed.

The General Secretary of the Lango Parliamentary Group and Kioga County MP, Hon. Collin Angwech, meanwhile, questioned the National Council of Sports leadership over potential challenges that could affect the Akii-Bua Olympic Stadium’s readiness to host matches during the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations.

Hon. Angwec urged the National Council of Sports to prioritize the development of the peripheral roads connecting the stadium to the surrounding areas, warning that inadequate access could undermine the facility’s functionality.

At the Lira University AFCON training ground, Captain Jimmy Omara, the lead site engineer of the UPDF Engineering Brigade supervising the multi-billion-shilling project, reported steady progress.

Capt. Omara said key structural works, field grading and major civil works have continued to meet the required benchmarks. He added that construction is progressing in line with the timelines agreed upon in the memorandum of understanding.

The Parliamentary Committee expressed concern that failure to rehabilitate the roads could leave the stadium poorly connected to the rest of Lira City, particularly once the facility becomes operational.

The committee members said they are engaging the Ministry of Finance on the possibility of establishing a separate emergency funding arrangement to address critical road infrastructure around the stadium before it opens.