The Ministry of Sports has announced that activities to renovate the Amahoro National Stadium, Amahoro Indoor Stadium and the Paralympic Games Gymnasium will commence in December and end next year. The upgrade, which could reportedly cost over Rwf2 billion, will see the stadium’s capacity increase to 45,000 from the current 25,000 while the indoor ‘Petit Stade’ Stadium could accommodate 5,000 spectators. Petit Stade’s current capacity is about 2,000 spectators according to Desire Mugwiza, President of the Rwanda Basketball Federation. During a press conference at Kigali Stadium on Friday, September 18, the Minister of Sports, Aurore Mimosa Munyangaju, revealed that the upgrade of Amahoro Stadium goes with that of Indoor Stadium and the gymnasium for disabled athletes because they make one project, which, she says, will be finalized by 2021. “We have a plan to start the upgrading activities in December, and everything must be done by the end of next year,” Munyangaju told reporters yesterday. She, however, did not reveal the budget that will be spent on the renovation of the three facilities. As the Ministry prepares to relocate its offices from the Stadium before the upgrade activities kick off, Munyangaju said the Ministry is also working on a plan to help in the relocation of sports federations that have offices at the stadium. The upgrade is part of the government’s broader project to develop a sports hub in Remera, Gasabo District, under the Kigali Sports City blueprint. The Sports City will cover the whole area currently occupied by the Kigali Arena, Amahoro Stadium, Rwanda Biomedical Centre (RBC) headquarters, which must also relocate, Amahoro indoor stadium and its neighbouring tennis courts, and Paralympic Gymnasium and the Remera metropolitan police as well as Remera health centre. Meanwhile, the Sports Ministry is yet to determine when training for collective sports and competitions will resume after they were suspended in March due to the coronavirus pandemic.
