DAVID GOMBE
The First lady and Minister of Education and Sports Janet Kataha Museveni has on Wednesday 13th, May released a statement on the plan to renovate and upgrade Mandela National Stadium, Namboole.
“In line with its mandate to promote Sports in the country, the government in the coming days, through the Ministry of Education and Sports will embark on the plan to renovate and upgrade Mandela National Stadium at Namboole to internationally acceptable standards in a planned manner starting with the needs assessment.”
The government of Uganda attaches great importance to this national asset and recognise Mandela National Stadium’s role in the development of sports in the country.”
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In March this year, the Confederation of African Football inspected the Stadium and recommended for renovations on the playing surface, dressing rooms, floodlights, media tribunals and sitting areas to meet FIFA standards.
For starters, the Stadium was named after the South African then President and anti-apartheid icon, the late Nelson Mandela.
It was opened in 1997 with a concert by South African legendary reggae artist Lucky Philip Dube and was constructed by Chinese construction company.
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The stadium was built with a grant of US$36 million from the People’s Republic of China (PRC).
In 2010/11, the stadium was refurbished with a US$2.8 million grant from the PRC.
