_______________

Uganda's finance ministry said it would on Friday (April 12) release the sh17.76b pending balance for Mandela National Stadium (Namboole) rehabilitation works.

The finance state minister in charge of planning, Amos Lugoloobi, disclosed this Friday morning at Parliament in Kampala.

“We are going to trigger the process today to ensure the money is made available. I hope that meets the requirements of the House," he said.

Speaker of Parliament Anita Annet Among directed sports state minister Peter Ogwang and Lugoloobi to ensure that the money is released without fail on Friday.  

Speaker of Parliament Anita Annet Among. (File photo)

“Today being a Friday, we are going to give you an hour as we handle other ministerial policy statements to go and trigger, then you come back for your ministerial statement so that by the time we leave here, we know we have evidence of a trigger," she said.

"So honourable minister, please go and start the trigger and give us evidence of the trigger.

“Both ministers, go and trigger and give us evidence before we finish [proceedings of] the House."

The development transpired shortly after resumption of plenary after the Speaker had briefly adjourned the session after appearing irked by the absence of the three finance ministers.

Before the adjournment, Among wondered whether the entity had any interest in sports.

“The First Lady writes to you, the first letter, second letter, third letter. What if I write, will they ever read it, if you cannot respond to what the First Lady has written to you,” she quipped.

“First we want the sh17b, then we will put a forensic audit.

"Honourable Government chief whip, as servants of the people, we are going to wait for you to bring the minister of finance. We are going to suspend the House for ten minutes to have the minister here."

Lugoloobi eventually showed up.

On Thursday, sports state minister Ogwang was summoned over the same matter, which lawmakers are worried might whitewash Uganda’s prospects of hosting this year's African Nations Championship (CHAN) as well as the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON).

👉 Sports minister ogwang summoned over Namboole rehabilitation works

Sports state minister Ogwang. (File)

While speaking on Friday, Ogwang revealed that whereas they hope to complete works by May 25 next month, works have been affected by delayed release of funds.

“The contract sum was sh97b. Funds received as of today is sh80.136b. Outstanding balance is sh17.76b," he told MPs.

"In 20 months, the contractors completed 90 percent of works and this includes most of the civil works, mechanical, plumbing, installations."

The delayed funds, he said, affected the contractor — the UPDF Engineering Brigade — from hitting a number of targets such as installation of LED screens, flood lights, second batch of public address system and completion of some of the civil works.

“On February 28, 2024, the Permanent Secretary and Secretary to the Treasury communicated additional expenditure limits to the second quarter of financial year 2023/24, among which was sh17.6b for completion of works at Namboole,” Ogwang disclosed.  

"While the ministry warranted and invoiced these funds by March 25, 2024, to date no funds have been credited to the bank accounts for Mandela National Stadium. 

"To be exact, my senior minister has written three letters since December to date."