Funding gap threatens Uganda’s Namboole rail plan for AFCON 2027

Uganda’s Shs23.33 billion allocation for railway works linked to AFCON 2027 has not translated into full funding, putting plans to carry supporters to Mandela National Stadium, Namboole, under pressure. Uganda Railways Corporation operates only five passenger coaches, while adding 20 more is estimated to cost Shs82 billion.

The approved package covers improvements and maintenance at Kampala’s Central Terminal, the Kampala-Mukono line, Namanve Station and a planned Namboole halt. The proposed service is intended to give match-going supporters an alternative on the heavily congested Kampala-Jinja corridor.

URC managing director Benon Kajuna told MPs that the available coaches date from the 1970s and 1980s. He also said the corporation had yet to secure the money needed to bring in the additional coaches, leaving the railway without the capacity expected for an Africa Cup of Nations event.

The railway will form part of CAF’s next major assessment of Uganda, Kenya and Tanzania. The three co-hosts and CAF identified August 2026 as a key review point after a ministerial meeting in Kampala on April 22 and 23. The assessment will cover transport, airports, accommodation, security, hospitality and the movement of supporters, not only stadium construction.

CAF President Patrice Motsepe and football and government officials from the three countries later created the PAMOJA Oversight Committee in Nairobi on May 13. Its roadmap calls for major infrastructure progress, venue confirmation, operational plans, cross-border mobility arrangements and the delivery of essential tournament services by the end of August.

URC’s wider equipment shortage adds to the challenge. The corporation has four mainline locomotives, compared with an estimated minimum requirement of 15, while the parliamentary committee responsible for state enterprises said a working railway could improve transport for both passengers and goods. Uganda has set aside Shs905 billion in its 2026/27 budget for AFCON preparations, including Shs213 billion for roads around Namboole and Hoima City Stadium, Shs184.9 billion for Kabalega International Airport, Shs56.2 billion for further Namboole work and Shs5.2 billion for Kadiba Stadium. The tournament is scheduled for June 19 to July 17, 2027.