By Patrick Okino
The Lango Parliamentary Group has demanded that part of the Shs101 billion government fund allocated to improve hotels ahead of the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) be extended to hoteliers and businesses in the Lango sub-region.
The legislators say the money, being managed through the Uganda Development Bank (UDB), is intended to support hotels in cities that will host AFCON activities, including Lira, Gulu and Hoima, but many local hoteliers remain unaware of the facility.
The caucus made the call on Sunday during a meeting with hoteliers at Gracious Palace Hotel in Lira City, led by its chairperson, Patrick Ogwang Obura.
“We have credible reports showing that many of you are not aware of this money yet it is there, and we thought of coming back to you that money is available for you,” Ogwang said.
He said the hosting of AFCON presents an opportunity for businesses to expand, create jobs and stimulate improvements in infrastructure, including roads and hotels.
Ogwang said the caucus was not only looking at the benefits of hosting AFCON but also at the long-term development opportunities that the championship could create for the sub-region.
“We want you to speak with one voice and help us demand this money because disunity and confusion will not push us forward,” he said.
He urged residents and business owners to put aside political differences and demand that the government complete the Akii Bua Stadium and improve roads leading to the facility.
He also called for the rehabilitation of the Aboke-Ayer-Bobi-Gulu road corridor, which has been earmarked to ease the movement of AFCON players and other visitors.
Geoffrey Ocen, MP for Kioga North, said SAMCO, the company undertaking the construction of Akii Bua Stadium, is only waiting for communication from the government before work can begin on roads earmarked for AFCON.
Ocen also said information presented to Parliament by Prime Minister Robinah Nabbanja indicated that hotel owners had been engaged over the financing facility, but no hoteliers from Lira and Gulu participated in the meeting.
He urged the business community to unite and demand access to the funds, while calling on the government to simplify the application process because the tournament is approaching.
“You should come out strongly and demand as soon as possible without minding your political differences or affiliation,” Ocen said.
Dr Patrick Olet, a hotelier, said the government should remove bureaucratic hurdles in accessing the funds, warning that the current process could take up to two years.
Olet said he previously applied for a Uganda Development Bank loan but abandoned the process after finding it too lengthy.
“I had all the documents and I didn’t manage to go through. But for this case, if the process is not reversed, I will not waste time applying for the loan,” he said.
Johnson Ocol, treasurer of the Chambers of Commerce and Industry, echoed the concerns, saying the lengthy application process could defeat the purpose of the fund.
He warned that if the process is not reviewed, hoteliers who apply for the money could receive it after two years, when AFCON has already ended.