Nakivubo Stadium: Roko races against time as Afcon 2027 beckons and Ham keeps faith

A few days back (July 28 to be exact), a group of inspectors from the Confederation of African Football (Caf) took a tour of Namboole, Nakivubo and St Mary’s Kitende, among other stadiums in the country.

The purpose of the visit was to check out those stadiums’ suitability ahead of the 2027 Africa cup of nations (Afcon) edition.

Caf hired the firm of Pricewaters Cooper’s Kenya to carry out the inspection of stadiums in Uganda, Kenya and Tanzania to inform their final decision regarding the grant of the three country’s joint bid to co-host the 2027 Afcon games.

The three East African countries are bidding under the banner of Pamoja, a Swahili word whose English translation is Together as one.

While at Nakivubo stadium, the inspectors looked visibly impressed and wowed by the beautification and expansion works being undertaken by Roko.

Should the works be ready by 2027, the inspectors expressed hope that Nakivubo stadium would potentially stand a chance to be selected among the venues to host some of the games during the upcoming 2027 Afcon edition.

Led by Fufa’s president, Eng Moses Magogo, the inspectors were conducted around the stadium by businessman, Hamis Kiggundu Segawa codenamed Ham together with some engineers from Roko.

One of Ham’s string of companies, Ham Enterprises is funding the multi-million beautification and expansion of Nakivubo stadium in exchange for part of the sports facility’s land leased out to him.

Ham says he is positive that the works will be ready by the time the 2027 Afcon games will be kicking off.

“Barring unforeseeable circumstances, Inshallah, the works currently underway will be ready by that time,” Ham states with a tinge of confidence in his voice.

Ham notes that had the Covid 19 scourge not broken out in the country and the rest of the world for two years in the past and thus occassioned a halt to the works at the sports facility, the stadium would be ready by now or nearing completion.

The businessman points out that it’s his fervent prayer and hope that the stadium in which he has ploughed billions of sums of cash would be selected among those were the Afcon games will be played.

“Just like any other patriotic Ugandan, that would be the most happiest moment in my lifetime,” the country’s young billionaire states.

Some spoilers have often doubted Ham’s resolve to give the country a modern stadium.

But now that the Caf’s inspectors they themselves have gone ahead and expressed their confidence in the works being undertaken at Nakivubo stadium, that would come as a big assurance to the country and particularly the lovers of the beautiful game that a good job is in the offing.