The legislators have threatened to petition the Confederation of African Football (CAF) with 1 million signatures from Lango residents if their demand isn't met.
The Lango Parliamentary Group (LPG) has issued a 7-day ultimatum
to the government to reinstate Akii-Bua Olympic Stadium as one of the venues
for AFCON 2027. The legislators have threatened to petition the Confederation
of African Football (CAF) with 1 million signatures from Lango residents if their
demand isn't met.
This follows the government's announcement that the stadium,
dedicated to Uganda's first Olympic gold medalist, the late John Akii-Bua,
would undergo phased construction but would not be included as an AFCON host
venue.
The Minister of State for Sports, Peter Ogwang, disclosed this position. However, the Lango MPs argue that their sub-region has been
unfairly excluded from hosting AFCON 2027, depriving them of the associated
infrastructure development benefits.
The group not only rejected the
government's decision to exclude Akii Bua stadium but also distanced themselves
from the proposal for phased construction. They asserted that the remaining three years were sufficient to
meet all CAF requirements.
“The reasons given for the lack of an airport and
good roads are unjustifiable since the construction of roads and airports are a
function of government which it failed to fulfill in the Lango sub-region despite
several calls by its leaders to do so over the years,” the MPs stated.
They also demanded an urgent meeting with the President of
Uganda and the First Lady, who also serves as the Minister of Education and
Sports, to discuss this matter. However, Isha Otto Amiza, former Oyam South Member of Parliament and a civil activist, criticized the MPs' resolutions, suggesting that the group seeks validation from the president.
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Following the Confederation of African Football's decision to award
AFCON 2027 hosting rights to the East Africa joint Pamoja bid by Kenya, Uganda,
and Tanzania, Uganda committed to six activities, including the construction of
two additional stadiums: Akii Bua Stadium (Lira), Buhinga Stadium (Fort
Portal), and/or Hoima City Stadium in Hoima to accommodate the tournament.
