Museveni commissions Teryet High Altitude Training Centre

President Yoweri Museveni has described the Teryet High Altitude Centre as a goldmine that his government has given priority despite other pressing demands in the Ugandan economy.

Museveni was speaking to the gathering that turned up for the commissioning of the facility that was mooted after Moses Kipsiro and Stephen Kiprotich heroics in the 2010 Commonwealth Games and the 2012 Olympics.

He noted that the NRM government does things in an organic manner without rushing and bumping into things because that does not lead to success. He said they had not supported sports and all the other arts like music because they were working first on ensuring the country was peaceful.

“We haven’t done much for sports because when we came we started with the basics:­ peace, health, immunization, wealth creation and Universal Primary Education.

“So, the effort has been working on the basics including the roads, electricity which have fortunately now moved. There is now electricity from Jinja to Bukwo, there is a road from Kampala to the Suam border,” Museveni noted.

“On sports we are currently benefiting from the indirect benefits of the success of the basics, because of the peace. These Cheptegeis even if they are not particularly selected by the government, but they get time to practice in a peaceful environment because they are not dead, killed by insecurity and diseases,”

“And even if there is no specific program yet, the general situation helps them to somehow maneuver and we were able to say from the beginning that if there are young talented youth, let them be recruited in the armed forces automatically. When they are there, they can have a livelihood and have a base where they can develop their talent in our simple poor way, we don’t have a lot of money but they get a small salary and are able to train,” Museveni stated.

On the facility, Museveni said it was unique and special and he has no problem having it prioritised.

“So, this is really a goldmine and I’m glad we have done it. Regarding the hotel, we shall invite the private sector to build one. For us we have built the hostel but I would like them to increase the numbers. Currently it can only accommodate 24 at a time, why only 24?”

“But I’m glad we have built it now because the track is good but the accommodation needs to be improved. The buildings are strong but we have to be able to accommodate more numbers,”

Responding to Joshua Cheptegei’s plea for unfulfilled pledges to the sportsmen who excelled in international competitions, Museveni said he was going to follow up on the unfulfilled pledges and proposed that the state house stipends of sh5m, sh3m and sh1m for gold, silver and bronze from major championships like the All-Africa Games, Olympics and the World Championships be increased because those were suggested while the country was still poor.

“I think some people were stealing that money and we have arrested some in State House but that is a small matter and we shall sort it out”

He said despite so many demands within the budgets they have been able to build the Mandela Stadium, a project that was supposed to be built under Obote-1.

“Then through improvisation we have been able to do Nakivubo working with the private sector. Now our people went and agreed with AFCON to build stadiums in Hoima and the Akii-Bua Stadium, we didn’t have the money because we said the money we have let us first deal with the Parish Development Model (PDM) to help the poor people who have never got sh1m.

The vice president Jessica Alupo thanked the president for conceiving the idea of constructing the facility, planning for it and also for securing resources for its construction. She said the facility is going to attract more athletes and enable them to have sufficient skills and also help them national and international ones sufficient time to train but also help them save their money they used to spend going to Kenya for training.

“Thank you for making the lives of athletes comfortable as they pursue their athletics careers and I thank you for the big milestone. Thanked the First Lady for expeditiously implementing all the government programs in the Ministry of Education and Sports.

“The implementation of UPE and USE is also mirrored here because there is a primary school which is well built and a secondary school so that if there are any talented youth in Teryet they can come here as they also benefit from the UPE services,” Alupo stated.

The function was also attended by the First Lady and Minister of Education and Sports Janet Museveni, State Sports Minister Peter Ogwang and other district and government leaders from across the Sebei Region, a delegation from the NCS, athletes and Uganda’s delegation to the Paris 2024 Olympics among others.