Hoima city approves 6.7-acre site for AFCON 2027 training facility

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The Hoima City Council has approved the giveaway of 6.7 acres of land at the Booma grounds to the National Council of Sports for the establishment of a modern training facility.

The approval was made during an extraordinary council meeting held on November 19, 2025, at HB Hotel, following a one-week ultimatum issued on Monday (November 17) by the state sports minister, Peter Ogwang, to either hand over the title or the government would consider a different location.

However, the decision faced resistance from some council members who questioned how accessible the facility would be to local residents.

They argued that the city council should first hold community engagements (Baraza) with residents and sign a Memorandum of Understanding with the government on the use and management of the facility before the land is handed over.

Margaret Monday, the city secretary for works, stressed that gathering the public’s views on the land transfer was a crucial part of the process.



Idi Magezi, the Hoima East Division councillor, argued the council should compile a list of key issues that must be included in the Memorandum of Understanding before the title is released.



Responding to concerns raised by councillors, Hoima city mayor Brian Kaboyo said that community consultations could not be carried out because the council was not drafting a law.

On the issue of signing a Memorandum of Understanding before the land handover, he said the final document would be developed using input from all local governments that have previously transferred their land titles to the National Council of Sports.



Joshua Byenkya, the Hoima West Division councillor, demanded clarification on how the 11 acres of the Booma grounds were being measured, as well as the future of businesses operating on the site once the facility is developed.



Kaboyo explained that the 6.7-acre stretch from the basketball court to the upper side of the stadium and confirmed that the development would indeed affect people operating businesses on the land.



Godfrey Kisekka Bwebukya, the Hoima city clerk, appealed to members opposing the handover to soften their stance, saying the government had already invested substantial resources in preparing plans for the new facility.



Following a heated debate, Council Speaker Edward Isingoma directed that members vote on whether to hand over the land title immediately or first conduct community engagements.

After the vote, eight council members agreed to transfer the title directly, while two councillors, Idi Magezi and Monday Margeret, insisted on community consultations before approval.

Asinasi Nyakato, the Hoima City Woman Member of Parliament, who attended the meeting, urged councillors to ensure that community interests are well protected when signing the Memorandum of Understanding on the management and use of the stadium.

The government has allocated sh13.2 billion for the development of the 6.7 acres into a modern training facility, which will form part of the infrastructure required to host the 2027 AFCON tournament.

The work will be carried out by the Uganda People’s Defence Forces Engineering Brigade and is expected to last for eight months, according to Mayor Kaboyo.

Kaboyo added that the Uganda Cities and Municipalities Infrastructure Development (UCMID) program had earlier allocated sh12 billion to upgrade the Booma grounds, but the funds will now be redirected towards constructing a modern market in Hoima West City Division, aimed at supporting traders currently operating under difficult conditions at the Duhaga roundabout market.

Works on the $129 million Hoima city stadium have been completed by Turkish construction firm SUMMA, and the official handover is set to take place before the end of this year.