Toro kingdom offers 50 acres for Fort Portal stadium project

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Toro Kingdom has offered 50 acres of land to the government of Uganda to pave the way for the construction of a modern stadium in Fort Portal city.

The announcement was made on March 31, 2026, during a function attended by state sports minister Peter Ogwang alongside officials from the central government, kingdom representatives, and other stakeholders.

According to the kingdom's prime minister, Calvin Armstrong, the land donation is intended to support the development of a state-of-the-art sports facility that will serve the people of the Toro sub-region and beyond. The project is expected to boost talent development, promote sports, and stimulate local economic growth.

Armstrong urged the government to expand its vision beyond the construction of a stadium and to prioritise the establishment of a sports academy to nurture talent in the region.

He emphasised that while the planned stadium is a significant step towards sports development, it should be complemented with a fully functional academy that can identify, train, and support athletes across different disciplines.

The kingdom's prime minister, Calvin Armstrong, speaks at the event.

“The government should not only focus on building the stadium but also establish a sports academy. This will help people of different talents to benefit,” he said.

He noted that a sports academy would provide a platform for young people with diverse talents to grow and benefit from structured training programmes, mentorship, and exposure to professional opportunities.

According to the prime minister, such an initiative would not only uplift individual athletes but also contribute to the broader development of sports in the kingdom.

The initiative traces back to last year, when Toro king Oyo Nyimba Kabamba Iguru Rukidi IV, engaged regional leaders and pledged to provide land for the stadium. This followed repeated appeals from residents who have long called on the government to fulfil its earlier promise to construct a stadium in the sub-region.

Minister Ogwang commended the kingdom for its contribution, describing it as a significant step towards improving sports infrastructure in Uganda. He assured the people that the government would begin the necessary processes to ensure the project takes off.

Now that the land has been identified, Ogwang said the next step is to trigger formal government procedures.

“Now that we are seeing the land today, my role is to go back and ask my technical people to begin with the formal processes of government,” he said.

However, the minister cautioned the public against expecting immediate construction, noting that several technical and administrative procedures must first be completed.

The exact location of the land has not yet been disclosed because the kingdom has shown the government two possible sites. Experts will first assess them before deciding on the most suitable location for the stadium.

During the same event, the kingdom also launched the inter-clan football competitions, which will kick off on the 4th of this month.