Akon announces plans to build second African city in Uganda

The singer is currently building a $6billion city in his native country of Senegal

Akon has announced that he’s planning on building another city in Africa while his first is still in progress.

For the past few years the singer has been busy building a city in his native country of Senegal, for which he secured $6billion (£4.3bn) funding.

Speaking in a press conference on Monday (April 5), Akon revealed that a new futuristic city will be coming to Uganda in the coming years. The plan has the backing of the Ugandan government, who announced that they’ve allotted one square mile of land for Akon City part two.

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According to Uganda’s NBS TV, the city will operate using Akon’s own cryptocurrency Akoin, which will also be used in Senegal’s Akon City.

Asked whether Ugandans will be able to afford to live in Akon City, which is set to feature futuristic shopping malls, stadiums and recreational facilities like its sister city, Akon answered: “I know if I put it there, they’re going to find a way to afford it because it’s going to motivate them.”

He added: “But ultimately when you create an opportunity, people grow with that opportunity, people learn with that opportunity, people are motivated with that opportunity.”

The construction of Akon City Uganda is scheduled to be completed in 2036.

In 2019, Akon told NME that he plans on running for US President.

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“Now that’s something I’m definitely going to attempt to do before I retire,” he said of a potential Presidential run.

“I got this close [squeezes fingers together] to running for President in 2020, but then I thought about it and said, ‘Well, if I run now I would never be able to do music again freely.’ Before I say goodbye to music, I’ve just got to come back into the game and have as much fun as I possibly can and get it out.”

Akon revealed last summer that he turned down the chance to sign Drake in the mid-2000s because he thought he “sounded like Eminem“.

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