KAMPALA – Members of Parliament have raised concern about Government’s failure to prioritize the sports sector calling for more funding and construction of facilities across the country.
Ntungamo Municipality MP, Yona Musinguzi said the Ministry of Education and Sports gave a tender to reconstruct the Nakivubo Stadium four years ago, to a city businessman whom he says has failed to complete the project.
“The tender was given to Hamis Kiggundu who has built arcades and malls all around the stadium, with little work done on the stadium itself. If he has failed over all these years, why shouldn’t the tender be cancelled and given to someone else?” Musinguzi asked.
He added that the process was flouted with no competitive bidding.
”A discussion and agreement between Kiggundu and officials from the Ministry of Education and Sports was signed torevamp the Stadium,” he added.
The MP raised the concern as legislators congratulated Uganda’s Peruth Chemutai who had just won gold in the women’s 3000m steeplechase at the Tokyo Olympics. This was during a plenary session chaired by Deputy Speaker, Anita Among on August 4, 2021.
MP William Chemongis (NRM, Kween County) said that Parliament provides time for discussions on some of the challenges faced by athletes.
“These men and women who represent the country in these competitions face a lot in their preparations for regional or international competitions,” Chemongis said.
Among directed the Ministry of Education and Sports to present a full report on the progress of the Nakivubo Stadium that has been under construction for the last five years.
According to the city tycoon, the stadium was expected to be ready to host its first match game in approximately 2 years from 2019.
However, he explained that the construction of the facility had stalled due to negative energy, politics, court battles and compensation of vendors.
Once finished, the stadium is expected to promote sports since most of clubs have no pitches, employ about 1,000 both directly and indirectly and also create sources of taxes to the government among others.
