The Independent Uganda: You get the Truth we Pay the Price
Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The government has resorted to seeking financial assistance from China for the construction of Akii Bua Olympic Stadium.
This was revealed on Thursday as officials from the Ministry of Education and Sports led by the Minister Janet Museveni appeared before parliament’s Education Committee to present their policy statement for the coming financial year 2019/2020.
Despite an increase in the education budget from the current financial year 2018/2019 sector budget of 2.78 trillion shillings to 3.28 trillion Shillings in the coming financial year 2019/2020, Janet Museveni told the committee that there are critical activities that have not been funded.
Alex Kakooza, the Education Ministry Permanent Secretary, said that despite the construction of the stadium at 4 percent, no funds have been allocated for the stadium project in the financial year 2019/2020.
The Ministry has so far received 665 million shillings for the construction of the stadium which were channeled to Lira District Local government.
The money was used for opening the boundaries of the land, clear and level the field of 18.6 acres, construction of access roads and drainage channels.
Kakooza told MPs that due to under-funding, further activities on the stadium have been put on halt.
He said that the Ministry of Education has made a formal proposal and application through Ministry of Finance for financing construction of the Stadium from the Chinese government under a grant and interest-free loan.
The stadium was a pledge by President Yoweri Museveni in 2016 in memory of Uganda’s first Olympic gold medallist, John Akii-Bua.
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