Namboole mag't certain stadium will be set for key match

By James Bakama

Saturday, Nations qualifier
Uganda v Zambia

Namboole management is confident its football pitch will be at its best when Uganda hosts Zambia on Saturday.

“Grass was planted on the few bare patches. We are now rolling and leveling the ground. The pitch will be in a good state by the weekend,” explained new stadium managing director Jamil Sewanyana.

Jamil, who addressed the press as the ground was being rolled, added that dressing rooms would also be refurbished.

The work follows complaints to Africa soccer body CAF by Zambia over the state of Uganda’s biggest sports facility.

Paul Muwanga, a consultant at the sports complex, partly attributed the delays in repairs to unpaid bills by the local soccer governing body FUFA.

FUFA is yet to pay Namboole sh 47m from the Congo Brazzaville and Senegal matches in June and for conferences and workshops the federation had in Namboole.

Namboole has in another development quashed attempts by FUFA to assume vending rights at the stadium.

“These rights together with others like advertising entirely belong to the stadium,” clarified board chairman Dan Ramwesigire.

Meanwhile only VIPs or people with sh125,000 tickets will be allowed to access the stadium via the main gate.

Those with the sh40,000 and sh75,000 tickets will use the other entrances. Muwanga appealed to people to also use the northern and southern gates to avoid overcrowding at the eastern gate.

Namboole management has assured the public of ample security.

“We are working with the respective security bodies to make sure everyone is safe,” said Sewanayana.

Gates will be opened at 10am.

The Cranes, who lost 1-0 in the first leg in Ndola, need to win by a two goal margin to advance to the final tournament of Africa’s biggest soccer tournament for the first time since 1978.