All set for Teryet High Altitude Training Centre take off

A view of the National High Altitude Training Center in Teryet, Kapchorwa. In the background are new  primary school buildings. Photo by Michael Nsubuga

Finally, the ground is set for the construction of the national high altitude athletics training centre in Teryet, Kapchorwa after the launch of the construction works on Thursday.

Doreen Matovu, the Acting Assistant Commissioner, Construction Management Unit from the Ministry of Education and Sports, in the presence the Kapchorwa district leadership officially handed over the site to the contractors.

Matovu said her department and all other stake holders will ensure team work so that the project work runs smoothly to ensure funding for the remaining phases is not affected by unnecessary delays.

"The district administration is a key partner who provided the land and will attend all site meetings and advise accordingly, but the main responsibility of the contractor is to deliver what is on paper," Matovu stated.

ID Forum's Jasper Kyomukama (C) presents the drawings for centre to COMPLANT's Lang Wanxi (3rd left), district leaders and officials from the Ministry of Education and Sports led by assistant commissioner construction management unit, Doreen Matovu (2nd R) and assistant commissioner Sam Odong (R) at the site in Kapchorwa. Photo by Michael Nsubuga

With the initial road works, electricity and running water now at the site all is set for the first phase of the project to take off, since the inauguration of the works in 2013.

Jasper Kyomukama representing Infrastructure Design Forum, the project managers and supervisors, said the first phase will take 33 months to complete.

It will involve construction of a jogging track, an AstroTurf field with a six-lane running track, hostel block, catering facilities, side fencing, gate house, site roads, external works like landscaping, a pump house as well as electrical and mechanical reticulation.

He said the contractor had already received 20 percent of the sh25bn earmarked for the work in the first phase and that there were no encumbrances stopping the contractor from executing his work, as all the boundaries as laid out and established by the contractor had been secured.

Kyomukama takes district leaders and officials on a guided tour of the centre. Photo by Michael Nsubuga

Dickson Berabose who represented the contractors for the water works, for the project said the intake works, transmission and distribution was completed about 6 months ago and that it was only the water treatment works that is still constrained by the lack of electricity at the water source. He said a local plumber had been trained to handle any emergencies at the site.

Lang Wanxi who represents the contractors; China National Complete Plant Import and Export Corporation (COMPLANT) said they have the experience and capacity to deliver a good job. The company constructed the Mandela National Stadium at Namboole.

Sam Odong the assistant commissioner of sports in the Ministry of Education and Sports said they were going to write to the Minister concerned to ensure electricity is extended to the water source to ensure it is treated.

"We have come to pave way for the official handover, all the activities going on at the site like farming are only there temporarily as all squatters were paid," Odong said.

Kapchorwa DEO Mike Cheptoek and LC3 Chairman, East Division Michael Chebet and other local leaders attended the function.

The project was first mooted in 2010 in the aftermath of Moses Kipsiro's 2010 Commonwealth Games success, but it has faced a number of delays including lack of water, electricity and a road to the proposed site, but everything is now in place.