With the CHAN tournament looming in June, Speaker of Parliament Anita Among, accompanied by Commissioner Hon Mathias Mpuuga, spearheaded a Parliament delegation to assess the progress at Mandela National Stadium.
With Shs80 billion already allocated for the project, Parliament recently pushed for the full disbursement of the Shs97 billion earmarked for the completion of the stadium. Last week, Finance State Minister Hon Amos Lugoloobi was urged to release the remaining Shs17 billion to ensure timely completion of the works.
During the inspection, Speaker Among was given a comprehensive tour by army officials under the supervision of Sports State Minister Hon Peter Ogwang. She expressed satisfaction with the progress made by the Uganda Peoples’ Defence Forces (UPDF) Engineering Brigade.
“I am thoroughly impressed by the remarkable work carried out by the UPDF Engineering Brigade,” she commended.
Speaker Among also announced Parliament’s intention to conduct a forensic audit of the project’s finances. She tasked Hon Mpuuga with thoroughly assessing the facility and reporting back to Parliament on areas needing improvement.
“To accurately determine the funds required for the project’s completion, we will conduct a forensic audit to evaluate the expenditures and identify any necessary adjustments,” she affirmed.
Minister Ogwang, on his part, issued a directive for contractors to expedite the remaining works and hand over the facility within two weeks, in preparation for the African Nations Championships (CHAN) scheduled for June.
In addition to hosting CHAN, Mandela National Stadium (Namboole) is a key component of Uganda’s preparations for the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in 2027.
At the request of Hon Ogwang, Speaker Among instructed Pioneer Bus Limited to immediately remove their vehicles parked in stadium spaces to facilitate the ongoing inspections.