By Allen Nantayi
Hoima city ran out of accommodation and food selling points as Uganda cranes hosted Libya for the AFCON qualifiers at Hoima city stadium on 29th September, 2026.
With the experience witnessed during the AFCON qualifiers, football fans and Hoima leaders want the government to expedite the process of giving hotels owners funds to expandtheir businesses amidist asking asked potential investors to consider Hoima given the demand.
Speaking after the Uganda Cranes 1-0 victory over Algeria at the Hoima City stadium, the National council of sports (NCS) General Secretary, Dr. Bernard Patrick Ogwel asked the hoteliers in Hoima to up their game ahead of Afcon 2027.
“As government, we are first of all, grateful that we are achieving our objectives. You saw how business was booming in Hoima and when accommodation and food get completed, it is a good thing for the community. I thing they have seen the challenge they have. This was only one Uganda Cranes game; how will it be with Afcon next year?” observed Ogwel.
“The hoteliers have to upgrade the rooms, build more rooms and have the available upgraded to CAF standards if they are to benefit from the Afcon tournament,” he added.
A number of football fans confessed that a day to the match, it was hard to find good accommodation in Hoima while food and drinks also ran out early.
This forced many fans to travel on the matchday to and from Hoima – which affects business in the area.
According to leaders in Hoima, the government should expedite the process of giving hotel owners money to expand their infrastructures and also consider availing soft loans to other people who can improve on their guest houses because the fans may not seek four and five-star hotels.
Hoima city woman member of parliament Nyakato Asinansi rose concerns over the continued government delay to avail funds to the contractors after parliamentary approval.
This was in line with the funds meant to be extended to hoteliers in Hoima and Abubakar construction company undertaking the Hoima-Kampala road construction ahead of AFCON.
Uganda will co-host AFCON 2027 alongside Kenya and Tanzania from June 19 – July 17.
