Sports to benefit from upgrade of Kololo Ceremonial Grounds

Motorsport and athletics are some of the disciplines set to benefit from Kololo Ceremonial Grounds when available for public activities after its renovation later this year.

Uganda Peoples’ Defence Forces (UPDF) Civil Engineering Brigade is renovating the ground that hosted the 42nd edition of the IAAF World Cross Country Championship in 2017.

The facility has also in the past hosted motorsport events including Vintage Car shows, and the Automobile shows, together with TT and Drifting competitions held last month.

Lt. Col Peter Kidemuka explains to Charlotte Kemigyisha, a member of the Strategic Communications Committee in the office of the president how the facility will be after completion. PHOTO: Johnson Were

The MTN marathon and the Cancer Run are the other athletics activities that have been hosted at the venue.  

The coordinator of the Engineering Brigade Lt. Col. Peter Kidemuka told the media during the tour of the facility that they will be completing it in six weeks.

“The government is looking at the state-of-the-art facility that will host diplomats and VVIP guests during its activities. That is why sh3.7b has been committed to the upgrading of this facility,” Kidemuka said.

He added that the ongoing work is Phase I of the renovation and will cost sh3.7b.

The upgrades include the construction of the wall fence, VVIP toilets, a pavilion, a drainage channel to stop the flooding of the ground when it rains, a garbage collection centre, and more exit gates on top of the three main gates.

UPDF workers on the wall fence. PHOTO: Johnson Were

“We have also worked on the access roads, and we are going to replace the pavers and also plant 150 trees as a way of preserving the environment,” Kidemuka added.

He lauded the president for building a strong engineering brigade that takes the lead in the civil engineering work in the country.

“We have high-level human resources because annually we recruit professionals in Civil, Mechanical and that is why we can deliver quality work on time.

He cited Bukedea Stadium, Namboole Stadium, and 29 schools including Old Kampala secondary, Kololo secondary, Naguru Katale, Kawempe Muslim, and Entebbe Airforce as the schools the brigade has constructed.