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Uganda Cranes and KCCA FC legend Jackson Mayanja has defended the State Minister for Sports, Peter Ogwang, regarding Mandela National Stadium, Namboole.
Fingers have been pointed at Ogwang by different stakeholders for promising and failing on multiple occasions in line with the completion of the stadium's renovation.
"The minister should take all the time he wants about this project; there is no need to rush," Mayanja told Pulse Sports.
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"I have been at the facility myself, and they are doing very well. I am confident that they will bring out something of international standard."
Ogwang's latest promise was made towards the end of last year that after a long while, Uganda Cranes will finally host their following engagements at the facility this year.
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The Cranes will be hosts in their next two 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers against Botswana and Algeria in June.
However, the dream of Paul Put's charge playing those games at Namboole may still need to be realized.
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"I do not care if CAF strips us of hosting rights for AFCON 2027; we shall not be the first country to experience it."
"It will be ashaming, I know, but it will be more ashaming if the redevelopment is rushed and we experience a stampede at the final tournament," Mayanja noted.
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Shadow Minister for Sports Geoffrey Kayemba Ssolo affirmed that the stadium will not be ready this year after his recent visit to the facility.
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12:05 - 20.01.2024
Namboole won't be ready for World Cup games - 'Minister' Kayemba Ssolo
Over the past year, Uganda has hosted international matches in other countries, using Tanzania, Cameroon, Morocco, Algeria and Egypt on various occasions.
In response, Ogwang noted that the project will be completed this year or next year, and it seems he is still determining but somewhat optimistic.
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12:43 - 20.01.2024
This year or the next Uganda Cranes games? Minister Ogwang responds on Namboole opening
But, following Shadow Minister Geofrey Kayemba Ssolo's contrasting views, Ogwang did not clarify the facility's readiness for the games.
As the three East African nations, Uganda, Kenya, and Tanzania, continue to prepare for a joint AFCON in 2027, CAF also granted them hosting rights for CHAN as a test tournament in September this year.
Tanzania is ahead of its other two counterparts in terms of preparation, with the refurbished Amaan Stadium in Zanzibar looking excellent and ready to go.
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