The Speaker of Parliament, Anita Among, has led a wave of criticism against the State Minister for Sports, Peter Ogwang, over the government’s failure to adequately publicize the upcoming African Nations Championship (CHAN), which kicks off on August 2.

The tournament, jointly hosted by Uganda, Kenya, and Tanzania, will feature Uganda’s national team, the Uganda Cranes, playing their first match against Algeria on August 4 at Namboole Stadium.

However, concerns were raised on the floor of Parliament that many Ugandans remain unaware of the fixtures and the national team’s participation.

Bugiri Municipality MP, Asuman Basalirwa, questioned how the country could invest heavily in hosting an international tournament while failing to inform its citizens.

He warned that poor publicity could lead to an embarrassing turnout at Namboole.

In defense, Minister Ogwang told legislators that the responsibility for advertising the tournament largely falls under the Confederation of African Football (CAF), the official organizer of CHAN.

Speaker Among, however, dismissed the explanation, stating that while CAF may handle general tournament publicity, it is the responsibility of the Ugandan government to ensure that local awareness especially about Uganda Cranes’ matches, is a priority.

She stressed that Parliament is not asking government to promote the entire tournament but to ensure Ugandans know when and where their national team is playing.

Speaker Among, subsequently directed Minister Ogwang to present a detailed plan outlining how the government will publicize Uganda’s participation in CHAN.

The Minister agreed and pledged to table the report before Parliament on Wednesday.

With only a few days left before the kickoff, lawmakers are pushing for immediate action to boost awareness and support for the Uganda Cranes as they prepare to compete on home soil.

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