Uganda government though the ministry of Education and Sports officially handed over the Nelson Mandela National Stadium – Namboole stadium site to the UPDF (Army) Engineering Brigade for upgrade.
In May 2019, the Confederation of African Federation (CAF) and Federation of International Football Association (FIFA) disqualified Mandela National Stadium from hosting the forthcoming 2022 world cup qualifiers and any other international football game, saying the facility is substandard.
However the Uganda Ministry of health turned the facility into a COVID-19 reception center until 2021.
A perimeter wall (4.1 Kilometer) around the Stadium land will be built and it will cost $1.085M. The official commissioning event was presided over by State Minister for Sports Hamson Obua.
”The project cost for renovating and upgrading Mandela National stadium was sh97b. As we speak out of this required funding $19M has been approved both in cabinet and already passed by parliament as part of the supplementary towards renovation and upgrade of the stadium. We have been told the due processes as required by law in processing a supplementary budget is getting concluded and all entities including Mandela stadium will be able to get the funds early next year,” said State Minister for Sports Hamson Obua.
Construction of the perimeter wall is expected to take the next four months. The bigger renovation and upgrade of the inside stadium facilities will cost $27M, lasting for at least nine months.
Namboole has not hosted any international game for the past four years. Football and Athletics, biggest users of the facilities have had to find solace somewhere else. The Uganda Cranes have had to move to a private owned St Mary’s Stadium in Kitende, while most athletes have had to run outside Uganda to seek international qualifications.
The Mandela National Stadium is a multi-purpose stadium in Uganda. It is named after the South African then-President and anti-apartheid icon, Nelson Mandela. The stadium’s record attendance of 50,000 was set in 2004, in a football match between the national football teams of Uganda and South Africa.
It was initially built a US$36 Million cost for the first phase, the second phase which was supposed to include Olympic size swimming pool and an Indoor stadium never saw daylight.
“We have partners already identified to ensure the other facilities come into play in phase two, International Olympic Committee for example will build an Olympic size swimming pool in the same facility” Said Patrick Ogwel, General Secretary of Uganda National Sports Council.
In the past, encroachers have not done the stadium land any justice.
It was reported by New Vision (State Newspaper) at that time that 60 of the 120 acres of land had been grabbed by encroachers.
Fencing the land will therefore give the facility full authority over the land.
The perimeter fencing will be complete by May 2022 with the 4.1 KM wall.
