Lango MPs protest Gov’t abandonment of Aki-Bua Stadium

Members of Parliament (MPs) from Lango Sub-Region have protested the decision by government to abandon the construction of Aki-Bua Stadium due to lack of airport and poor road network in the region.

The MPs are bitter due to the fact that the Sub-Region is likely to miss the opportunity to host some Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) games to be hosted by Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda in 2027.

A visibly angry Judith Alyek, the Woman MP for Kole district had no kind words for Sports Minister Hon Peter Ogwang for allegedly abandoning the earlier promise to construct Aki-Bua Stadium to host AFCON!

“Lango Sub-Region has supported NRM religiously and constructing Aki-Bua stadium was a promise made but the excuses that there’s no airport and the region has a poor road network are laughable and tantamount to malicious on the part of government,” she said angrily.

She added that the reason being given are unjustifiable since construction of critical infrastructures like roads, airport among others is a function of government which it failed to fulfil in Lango Sub-region over the years despite several calls!

She notes that the 3 years remaining to AFCON are sufficient for the government to put in place whatever is required to ensure the Sub-Region hosts games.

Her colleague Hon Samuel Opio, the MP for Kole North was equally unpleased describing the abandonment of the construction of Aki-Bua stadium as breach of contract against the 2.5million people of Lango Sub-Region.

“Government claims there is no funds to construct but in the submitted bid to CAF, government indicated that it will secure all the necessary funds required to construct the stadia, develop infrastructure and ensure a successful deliver of the AFCON games. If government is saying there is no money, then they have breached the commitment they made to CAF and we begin to ask ourselves if we are really serious about hosting AFCON in 2027,” Opio asserted.

Kwania County representative Hon Tony Ayoo wondered why the aspirations of the 2.5million people in Lango sub-region should be sidelined in preference for city tycoon Hamis Kiggundu, ‘who has fronted Nakivubo War Memorial Stadium which he claims is so squeezed and located in a busy business down town Kampala’.

“Nakivubo is in the central business district and very squeezed; safety and security is going to demand a lot of from the country, there are lock-up shops that are all over the stadium and that will mean you need to evacuate all those people, you need to block the road everyday, disorganize people’s businesses and I don’t think CAF will accept this kind of situation,” said Ayoo.

The Otuke County MP Hon Paul Omara did not sound different from his colleagues saying that if Aki-Bua is left out, it simply means that the entire Sub-Region has been left out.

However, the Speaker Rt Hon Anitah Annet Among has warned MPs from Lango Sub-Region and asked them to desist from blackmailing government over Aki-Bua stadium.

“Any attempts to antagonize Uganda’s bid will likely tarnish Uganda’s image at the Confederation of African Football (CAF),” said Among.