By Boy Fidel Leon
The Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) has ordered an immediate halt to construction works along the Nakivubo Drainage Channel being spearheaded by businessman Hamis Kiggundu, citing legal, regulatory, and environmental concerns.
The move follows rising public criticism of the project, which seeks to cover the historic drainage channel to pave way for property development above it.
The project gained momentum earlier this month after President Yoweri Museveni, in a letter dated August 2, 2025, directed the Prime Minister to facilitate Kiggundu’s plan, describing it as “imaginative and simple” given the channel’s frequent blockages and misuse.
However, city authorities pushed back. KCCA Deputy Executive Director Benon Kigenyi confirmed that the agency met Kiggundu and instructed him to stop all activities immediately.
“We instructed him to halt all activities that are ongoing without the requisite statutory guidance and permission,” Kigenyi said.
He added that Kiggundu must now focus only on clearing debris, ensuring stormwater flows freely, and maintaining hoarded sections to prevent flooding and public danger.
The Nakivubo Channel is the largest stormwater and waste channel in Kampala, a vital piece of infrastructure that traverses the city for approximately 12.3 kilometres.
Originating at the foothills of Makerere Hill, it was meant to act as a primary conduit for managing runoff from a vast and complex urban catchment area, which includes the highly populated Makerere Kivulu slum, three busy markets, and an industrial zone.
The directive comes amidst a growing storm of criticism from Kampala leadership and environmental activists.
Lord Mayor Erias Lukwago accused the President of undermining established planning systems:
“We are witnessing a breakdown of state structures, system failure, and decay of institutional governance. What Mr. Museveni did undermine the powers of city leadership; he has invested himself in a city planner who now vets the plans.”
By law, major infrastructure projects must be approved by KCCA under the Physical Planning Act and cleared by the National Environment Management Authority (NEMA). Covering a primary drainage system with buildings raises questions about compliance with both environmental regulations and urban planning standards.
Environmentalists also sounded alarm bells. Benedict Ntale, a climate activist, said the project would set a dangerous precedent:
“I have never seen any drainage in the world with a building on top. If this is done in Uganda, it will be disastrous. Management will be hard, especially in the case of spillover, since even open drainage systems are blocked.”
The National Environment Management Authority (NEMA), the regulator of construction in wetlands and fragile ecosystems, also clarified that the project had not yet received approval.
“We have received a project brief from the developer. The project is still under review. “No decision has been made, and it will be studied thoroughly before any approval,” said Naomi Karekaho, NEMA’s Head of Communications.
The controversy has now drawn the attention of Parliament’s Committee on Commissions, Statutory Authorities, and State Enterprises (Cosase), which on Friday summoned top officials and the developer to explain alleged irregularities.
Those summoned include Gen. Kahinda Otafire (Minister for Internal Affairs), Minsa Kabanda (Minister for Kampala Metropolitan Affairs), Inspector General of Police Abas Byakagaba, KCCA Executive Director Sharifah Buzeki, Lord Mayor Lukwago, KCCA Council Speaker Zahara Luyirika, and Kiggundu himself.
In a statement, Cosase said the enquiry seeks to establish “whether the redevelopment was legally sanctioned and whether oversight by KCCA and other agencies was properly executed.”
The committee will also investigate governance lapses that allowed the project to advance despite regulatory gaps and widespread objections.
The halt marks a temporary suspension of a project that has deeply divided opinion, raising broader questions about executive authority, urban planning, environmental sustainability, and governance in Uganda’s capital city.
Supporters of Kiggundu’s plan argue that it represents a bold attempt to repurpose neglected urban space and unlock commercial value. With Kampala’s land scarcity, developing property above the channel could generate revenue, jobs, and modern infrastructure. Yet critics counter that the long-term economic risks outweigh the potential benefits.
Flood-related losses already cost Uganda millions of dollars annually, undermining productivity and damaging businesses in the capital.
Kampala is no stranger to deadly flooding, with recent disasters in areas such as Bwaise, Kalerwe, and Katwe claiming lives and displacing so many.
Dr Charles Luzige, the assistant commissioner for Maritime Monitoring at the Ministry of Works and Transport earlier this year, amidst heavy rains, advised residents of Kampala and other urban centres to take up swimming lessons as a last line of defence against drowning, amid increasing incidents of urban flooding.