The model showing how Nakivubo channel will appear upon completion
HABARI DAILY I Kampala, Uganda I The development of the Nakivubo Channel, a nine-kilometer natural waterway has proceeded, amidst opposition led by the Kampala Lord Mayor, Elias Lukwago.
HAM Enterprises, a corporate outfit headed by businessman Hamis Kiggundu, has since unveiled a stylish development plan that will turn the water way into a motorable, green hub, similar to those found in developed countries.
The channel has so far been cordoned off with iron sheets from Kisekka Market to Container Village, to facilitate construction. The area currently has a heavy security presence of military and police to prevent potential unrest. Vendors displaced from the channel have moved closer to the road, causing traffic congestion in downtown Kampala.
Known for issues such as pollution, flooding, encroachment, among others, Ham has vowed to transform this channel into a modern, environmentally protected urban space.
In an exclusive interview with this news channel, Kiggundu said that he will erect green public spaces, pedestrian zones, and advanced underground infrastructure for solid waste filtration and water catchment.
“This plan addreesses the issue of pollution, which has for years been affecting the people of Kampala. This will help solve the problem of pollution by industrial outfits which has been endangering public health,” he said.
People have also turned it into a culture to dump household garbage into the channel, blocking the water way whenever it rains.
Kiggundu further noted that the project will be inculcated into the Nakivubo Stadium redevelopment initiative, which was earlier on approved by Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA). “Everything we will put on ground will comply with urban planning standards,” he pointed out.
Mounting opposition
Kampala based politicians, led by the Lord Mayor, Erias Lukwago, hhave mounted strong opposition toward the project, which has affected public affection for it.
Lukwago has since petitioned Joel Ssenyonyi, the Leader of the Opposition, to call upon Parliament to intervene and stop it from going ahead.
Lukwago fronted the view that the channel is public property, and that it requires urgent protection by the legislators.
“For anyone to take possession of public property, there are procurement laws that must be followed. To carry out any development on public land, whether to obtain a leasehold or license, there must be a legal instrument to that effect,” he told the media.
He claimed to have verified with KCCA Deputy Executive Director Benon Kigenyi, and discovered that no approval had been granted for Kiggundu’s plans.
He also reportedly wrote to the Inspector General of Government (IGG) requesting an investigation into the alleged fraud and urging prompt action to remove the iron sheets.
Blessing from State House
Kiggundu earlier on received recommendation from the highest office – that of thee Preesidency.
President Yoweri Museveni gave a green light to Kiggundu’s plan to cover Nakivubo channel and redevelop the area, describing the initiative as both “imaginative and simple.”
In a letter dated August 2, 2025, addressed to Prime Minister Robinah Nabbanja, President Museveni endorsed a proposal presented by Kiggundu on July 25, 2025.
“The idea involved fighting the perennial garbage and flooding crisis caused by the open drainage channel in the heart of Kampala,” reads part of the letter.
Museveni further said that the exposed channel had effectively turned into a dumping site for rubbish, creating health hazards and worsening flooding in the central business district.
“By covering the channel, he will solve the problem of rubbish being thrown into it and create new urban infrastructure that will enhance the image of our capital city.”
This is currently part of Nakivubo Channel infront of Ham Shopping Mall in Kampala. Hamis seeks to cover this channel in his proposal. The President’s letter okaying Ham to develop Nakivubo channel
According to the president’s letter, dated July 25, Museveni referred to Kiggundu’s proposal as one based on a public-private partnership arrangement, since the businessman will finance the covering of Nakivubo channel using modern engineering designs, and in return, he will be allowed to construct commercial infrastructure above it to recover his investment.
The president emphasized that Kiggundu’s intervention should be facilitated without bureaucratic delays, urging ministries to ensure that technical, financial, and legal frameworks are properly aligned to safeguard both public interest and investor confidence.
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