Namboole Stadium threatened by encroachers

Mar 30, 2012

JUST a day after The New Vision reported that Mandela National Sports Complex could find itself in more battles with encroachers due to lack of capacity to fulfill its plan by the government.

 By James Bakama and Swalley kenyi

JUST a day after The New Vision reported that Mandela National Sports Complex could find itself in more battles with encroachers due to lack of capacity to fulfill its master plan by the government, the state sports minister has threatened to terminate agreements with Pioneer Bus Services.
 
The company that is importing commuter buses to address transport irregularities in the city now poses the first threat to the sports complex facilities.
 
Pioneer Bus Services are renting the Stadium’s parking yard. Almost a quarter of the yard has been fenced off for night parking and the minister fears that by the time Pioneer imports all their 400 buses it will be more inconveniencing than thought of before.
 
Huge chunks of Namboole have continuously attracted ‘ investors’ because they have remained unused for 15 years .
 
This has left Namboole management struggling to ward off encroachers. And managers at the complex have also made questionable agreements with private developers.
 
Sports state minister Charles Bakkabulindi on Tuesday ordered a review of all contracts signed with all developers on the stadium’s land. The minister also told New Vision Online that he would stop more buses from parking at Namboole.
 
“I want to assure Ugandans that there will be no extra buses allowed at Namboole. The parking must strictly be reserved for sports functions,” said Bakkabulindi.
 
He has also directed the Namboole board to review the initial rental agreement for the buses already packed at the stadium because the number has increased.
 
In 2009, it took a public uproar to save land surrounding Nakivubo War Memorial although the stadium management has turned parts of the land in markets, bus parks and its redundant interior into car parking yards.
 
This was after the parking yard had also been leased out to Kalita Bus Company. It took a public outcry for the bus owners to be forced out.
 

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