The long-awaited Hoima City Stadium has officially reached completion, marking a major milestone in Uganda’s sports infrastructure development after contractors MS SUMMA formally handed over the state-of-the-art facility to the National Council of Sports (NCS).
The handover ceremony took place in the presence of key government stakeholders, including the Ministry of Education and Sports and the Ministry of Works and Transport, who served as supervising consultants throughout the project.
NCS, the government body mandated to manage and oversee national sports facilities, officially received the iconic multi-sports complex, signaling the end of the construction phase and the start of operational readiness.
Representing the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Education and Sports, Dr Kedrace Turyagenda, the Commissioner for Physical Education and Sports, Rev. Canon Dr Duncans Mugumya, presided over the technical handover.
During the ceremony, the Ministry of Works Commissioner for Public Structures, Eng. Edward Ssimbwa, on behalf of Permanent Secretary Waiswa Bageya presented MS SUMMA with a certificate of completion, confirming the successful delivery of the project.
SUMMA Project Manager Murat Altun led representatives from NCS and various government ministries, departments and agencies on a comprehensive tour of the stadium’s facilities before formally handing over the instruments of control to NCS Board Chairperson Ambrose Tashobya, officially sealing the handover process.
Chairman Tashobya was joined by board members Moses Omara Anyii, Hajji Zubair Galiwango, Stephen Kiprotich, Piloya Evelyn Gloria and Cecilia Anyakoit, alongside NCS General Secretary Dr Bernard Patrick Ogwel and the council’s top management team.
Leaders present expressed deep appreciation to President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni and the First Lady and Minister of Education and Sports, Janet Museveni, for their strong leadership, commitment and full financial backing that ensured the Hoima City Stadium vision became a reality.
Dr Ogwel particularly commended MS SUMMA for their professionalism, dedication and efficiency, noting that the Turkish firm completed the $129 million flagship project five months ahead of the projected 18-month schedule.
He also applauded Project Manager Eng. Ivan Gombya and the Ministry of Works supervision team for their outstanding technical oversight.
The event was witnessed by several dignitaries, including Special Presidential Assistant for Education and Sports Gunter Lange, Assistant Commissioner Sammy Odongo, representatives from various government MDAs, and Hoima City leadership led by Resident City Commissioner Badru Mugabi and Mayor Brian Kaboyo.
The stadium is set to be officially commissioned by His Excellency President Yoweri Museveni on Christmas Eve, adding further significance to the achievement.
Hoima City Stadium boasts a modern 2,000-seater indoor arena, a semi-Olympic swimming pool, a training pitch, a parking area accommodating over 1,000 vehicles, outdoor courts, administrative offices, and a fully equipped gym, among other world-class amenities.
To usher in a new era for the facility, Kitara FC and KCCA FC have been selected to play a friendly match on Wednesday, becoming the first teams to grace the new stadium and officially kick-start its sporting journey.
