SUMMA Hands Over Hoima City Stadium to NCS Ahead of Presidential Commissioning on Christmas Eve

The National Council of Sports (NCS) has officially taken over the Hoima City Stadium following the formal handover of the state-of-the-art multi-sports complex by contractors SUMMA, setting the stage for its grand commissioning by President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni on Christmas Eve.

The handover ceremony, held at the stadium premises, marked the successful completion of one of Uganda’s most ambitious sports infrastructure projects. NCS, the statutory body mandated to oversee and manage government sports facilities, received the facility in the presence of its supervising authorities—the Ministry of Education and Sports and the Ministry of Works and Transport, which served as the project’s supervising consultants.

Presiding over the technical handover on behalf of the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Education and Sports, Dr. Kedrace Turyagenda, was the Commissioner for Physical Education and Sports, Rev. Canon Dr. Duncans Mugumya. During the ceremony, the Commissioner for Public Structures at the Ministry of Works and Transport, Eng. Edward Ssimbwa—representing Permanent Secretary Waiswa Bageya—presented SUMMA with an official certificate of completion, formally affirming that the project had met all contractual and technical requirements.

Earlier, SUMMA’s Project Manager, Murat Altun, led representatives from NCS and various ministries, departments and agencies on a comprehensive tour of the stadium’s facilities, showcasing its diverse components and world-class standards. The tour culminated in the symbolic handover of instruments to the NCS Board Chairperson, Ambrose Tashobya, bringing the formal handover process to a close.

Chairman Tashobya was flanked by members of the NCS Board—Moses Omara Anyii, Hajji Zubair Galiwango, Stephen Kiprotich, Piloya Evelyn Gloria and Cecilia Anyakoit—as well as the NCS General Secretary, Dr. Bernard Patrick Ogwel, and the Council’s top management team.

In their remarks, Dr. Mugumya, Chairman Tashobya and Dr. Ogwel unanimously expressed deep appreciation to President Museveni and the First Lady and Minister of Education and Sports, Maama Janet Museveni, for their steadfast leadership, vision and commitment in ensuring that the Hoima City Stadium project became a reality. They credited the President’s unwavering support and close oversight, coupled with full government financing, for the successful delivery of the iconic facility.

The speakers also commended SUMMA for its exceptional performance, noting the Turkish firm’s commitment, efficiency, speed and high-quality workmanship. Valued at approximately USD 129 million, the project was completed a remarkable five months ahead of the projected 18-month timeline—an achievement hailed as a rare milestone in large-scale public infrastructure development. Special praise was equally extended to Project Manager Eng. Ivan Gombya and his team from the Ministry of Works and Transport for providing rigorous and professional supervision throughout the construction phase.

The ceremony was witnessed by a cross-section of government officials and local leaders, including the Special Presidential Assistant in charge of Education and Sports, Gunter Lange; Assistant Commissioner for Physical Education and Sports, Sammy Odongo; and representatives from various MDAs. Hoima City leadership was also present, led by the Resident City Commissioner, Badru Mugabi, and Mayor Brian Kaboyo.

With the handover complete, all is now set for President Museveni to officially commission the picturesque Hoima City Stadium on Wednesday.

The commissioning will be accompanied by a flurry of sporting activities and public celebrations, ushering in a memorable Christmas for Uganda’s sports fraternity and underscoring the government’s continued investment in sports development as a catalyst for national pride, youth empowerment and socio-economic transformation.