Hoima City Stadium

Government has rejected a request by Kitara Football Club to use the newly constructed Hoima City Stadium as its temporary home for local matches, saying the contractor advised that the pitch can only be used once a week.

The revelation was made by Peter Ogwang, Minister of State for Sports, during the plenary sitting on October 22, 2026, while responding to a request by Ismail Kasule, MP for Hoima West Division, to allow Kitara FC to use Hoima Stadium after its own facility was closed by the Federation of Uganda Football Associations (FUFA).

“That facility is entirely meant to be used once a week as per the professional advice given to us by those who built it. It is not meant to be used twice, three times a week. I did write to FUFA asking them to reconsider why they closed the local facility and allow Kitara FC to use its facility,” Ogwang said.

“The facility we are talking about is for AFCON 2027. This pitch is an entirely hybrid pitch which has certain standards to be met. It is my role to guide the National Council of Sports on how this asset should be managed. We will continue to work with them case by case, but not to ensure that the facility hosts games two, three, four times a week – that is not possible,” he added.

Kasule tabled before Parliament three receipts for payments Kitara FC made to the National Council of Sports (NCS) – Shs30 million on September 8, 2026, and additional Shs30 million each on September 12 and September 17, 2026 – for use of Hoima City Stadium.

“Unfortunately, the club’s current playing facility is not sustainable for competitive matches, yet its request to use Hoima City Stadium has reportedly been denied. I humbly appeal to the Minister responsible for sports to urgently intervene and grant Kitara FC temporary access to this national facility subject to applicable safety and operational requirements, like we have been doing, because for past matches, we have played there, we have been paying. If I am allowed, I can lay on table the receipts of payment we have been paying to government,” Kasule said.

“This is about supporting our sportsmen and protecting Uganda’s football reputation,” he added.

Ogwang defended government’s decision, arguing that after the Africa Cup of Nations in 2027, Hoima Stadium will be handed over to a private investor to manage on behalf of government.

“I want Parliament to accept that this facility is intended for AFCON 2027. After that, we will bring in an international management firm which will be able to manage, operate and generate revenue for Uganda for the continued utilisation of this national asset,” he said.

On the Shs90 million Kasule claimed Kitara paid, Ogwang said: “For now, the money he is claiming he has paid, I am interested in carrying out an investigation into whether that money entered the national coffers.”

Ogwang announced plans to probe all cash payments Kitara FC made to NCS.

“We all know how government operates and the procedure for how government money is received. I want to conduct an investigation into this matter. Secondly, the Board of the Council did not authorise anybody to use this facility. So, who determined the rates?” he said.