Parliament commends Uganda Cranes for historic CHAN performance

Parliament has hailed the Uganda Cranes for their outstanding performance at the 2024 African Nations Championship (CHAN), where the team made history by qualifying for the quarter-finals for the first time.

During a plenary session, minister of state for Sports, Peter Ogwang, noted that the team’s achievement has inspired renewed confidence in domestic league players. He highlighted that Uganda topped a highly competitive group that included Algeria, South Africa, Niger, and Guinea, an unprecedented success that elevated the country’s football profile on the continent.

“The team delivered a historic milestone by advancing to the quarter-finals for the very first time after six previous attempts,” Ogwang stated.

He emphasized that co-hosting CHAN 2024, alongside Kenya and Tanzania, was a landmark achievement that led to significant, long-lasting infrastructure improvements.

These included the full renovation of Mandela National Stadium to CAF standards and the upgrading of other facilities like the Kyambogo University training ground and Mutesa II Wankulukuku Stadium.

The event also served as a valuable rehearsal for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations, allowing Uganda to test its systems in logistics, security, accreditation, medical preparedness, and ticketing.

Moses Magogo, Budiope East MP and President of the Federation of Uganda Football Association (FUFA), noted that CHAN provided a vital platform for domestic players to showcase their skills.

“The two goals we scored against Somalia [in the World Cup qualifiers] came from club players, proving the competition was a success,” he said.

Magogo called for greater government support for local clubs, warning that Uganda continues to lose key players to countries like Rwanda, where clubs are better facilitated.

Other lawmakers also weighed in. Bugiri Municipality MP Asuman Basalirwa praised FUFA and the local organizing committee for introducing online ticketing, calling it an innovation that showed progress.

The Leader of the Opposition (LoP), Joel Ssenyonyi, urged the government to invest holistically in sports, stressing the importance of providing sustained infrastructure and support throughout players’ careers.

Third Deputy Prime Minister Rukia Nakadama reaffirmed the government’s commitment to funding sports activities nationwide. In a final directive, speaker of parliament Anita Among ordered the Auditor General to conduct a special audit of all funds spent on CHAN 2024.

“This will guide our planning for AFCON,” Among stated. “We need this report presented by 30 October 2025.”