Hoima City – President Yoweri Museveni has officially opened Hoima City Stadium, describing it as a major national asset and calling on residents to embrace responsible waste disposal to protect the environment.

The stadium, located in Hoima City, is expected to play a key role in Uganda’s preparations to co-host the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) alongside Kenya and Tanzania.

President Museveni said the facility was strategically constructed near an international airport in line with requirements by the Confederation of African Football (CAF).

“We initially wanted to build John Aki-Bua Stadium, but CAF advised that the stadium must be near an international airport. That is how we came here,” Museveni explained.

He noted that the government financed the project using its own resources, attributing this to Uganda’s systematically built economy. “We have the money, but we cannot do everything at the same time. We have resources because we built our economy step by step,” he said.

The President highlighted Uganda’s economic progress, citing food security, expanding irrigation, growth in manufacturing, and the rise of services such as tourism, hospitality, and music. He added that hosting AFCON has provided an opportunity to accelerate infrastructure development in the region.

Museveni also commended the Turkish contractor, Summa, for delivering the stadium on time and within budget, and thanked the family of Rujumba for providing the land. He further praised local manufacturing efforts, sharing an example of Ugandan-made buses that attracted orders as far away as South Africa.

First Lady and Minister of Education and Sports, Maama Janet Museveni, described the stadium as a “Christmas gift” to the country and a symbol of dedication and teamwork. She applauded the contractor’s exceptional commitment and patience, urging other contractors to emulate the same standards.

“This is the Lord’s day, and we rejoice and are glad in it,” she said, adding that the stadium will bring lasting benefits to Bunyoro and the nation at large.

In his closing remarks, President Museveni cautioned the public against irresponsible disposal of wastage, emphasizing the need to keep the stadium and surrounding areas clean.

“Let us not dispose of waste carelessly,” he said.

Hoima City Stadium is expected to boost sports development, tourism, and economic activity in the region as Uganda prepares for continental and international sporting events.

About the Stadium

Hoima City Stadium is a flagship national sports infrastructure project being implemented by the National Council of Sports (NCS) under an EPC (Engineering, Procurement and Construction) design-and-build turnkey contract. The project is being executed by Turkish firm M/S Summa, with supervision by the Ministry of Works. Construction commenced on September 1, 2024, with an 18-month implementation period and a 12-month defects liability period. The total project cost stands at USD 129 million (about Shs 500 billion).

The stadium is being developed on a 16.8-hectare site (168,000 square metres) and features a 20,000-seater main stadium, a 2,000-seater mini arena, a semi-Olympic swimming pool (25m x 12.5m), a standard football pitch (68m x 106m), indoor and outdoor running tracks, two basketball courts and two volleyball courts. Supporting facilities include 839 parking spaces (720 open and 119 closed), one presidential suite, 12 sky boxes with VIP lounges, eight elevators, 59 sanitary units plus 13 for persons with disabilities, four dressing rooms, a 50-seater press conference room, 10 concession units and five retail units.

At peak construction, the project employed 1,067 workers, of whom 732 (69 per cent) were Ugandan, 266 (25 per cent) Turkish, and 69 (6 per cent) from other countries, underscoring significant local participation. The official project completion date is February 28, 2028.

The history of the project dates back to April 2019 when the family of the late Dr James Rujumba donated 10 acres of land to FUFA for a legacy stadium in Hoima. In October 2020, FUFA formalised the arrangement through a memorandum of understanding with the family.

By May 2024, the land holding had expanded to 34.9 acres through additional contributions by FUFA and government, and the title was handed over to NCS. The construction contract with M/S Summa was signed on June 7, 2024, at State House Nakasero, paving the way for works to begin in September 2024.