Sports 2 July 2026 State House (Uganda)
Museveni Backs Unified AFCON Visa for East Africa, Pledges Full Support for 2027 Tournament
President Yoweri Museveni has thrown his support behind a single East African visa for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations, aiming to streamline travel for fans and teams across Uganda, Kenya, and Tanzania. The government also reaffirmed its commitment to ensuring robust infrastructure and financial backing for the event. Source: https://statehouse.go.ug/president-museveni-backs-single-east-african-afcon-visa-pledges-full-government-support-for-2027-tournament
President Yoweri Museveni has expressed strong support for a proposed common East African visa to facilitate easy travel for visitors during the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON). The initiative, discussed at a meeting with the AFCON Local Organising Committee at State House Entebbe, would allow fans, tourists, officials, and teams to travel freely between Uganda, Kenya, and Tanzania for four months using a single visa.
“This is common sense. I support it,” President Museveni stated, directing that discussions commence with Kenya and Tanzania to implement the arrangement. Prime Minister Robinah Nabbanja highlighted the importance of this visa, noting it would enhance the visitor experience and promote regional cooperation.
Col. Geoffrey Brian Kambere from the Immigration Department confirmed that Uganda already has a similar visa arrangement with Kenya and Rwanda under the Coalition of the Willing. The goal is to extend this spirit of open borders to Tanzania under the “Pamoja” initiative, which unites the three nations as co-hosts.
The meeting also underscored the pressing need to accelerate infrastructure development. Uganda is racing against time to complete key projects, including the upgrading of the Mandela National Stadium, training grounds, Kabalega International Airport’s passenger terminal, roads around host towns, and the Busunju-Hoima road. These projects have a stringent deadline of December 31, 2026, ahead of CAF’s next inspection.
Minister of State for Sports Peter Ogwang confirmed that a “whole-of-government” approach is in place, with all ministries and agencies assigned specific roles and timelines. The Minister of Finance pledged timely release of funds, with most of the required budget already allocated in the current financial year.
The government’s full financial and technical backing assures that Uganda will meet the strict requirements set by the Confederation of African Football (CAF) for jointly hosting the continent’s premier football tournament. This collaborative effort aims to make the 2027 AFCON a landmark event for East Africa.
Source: State House Uganda